The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) on Tuesday, September 29, launched construction and equipment works for six additional offices for the Beni Military Garrison Tribunal in North Kivu Province.
Funded to the tune of US$49,389 under the UN mission’s Quick Impact Projects (QIPs), the project will be implemented over a three-month period and is intended to strengthen the operational capacity of the military justice system.
Strengthening the capacity of military justice
The construction of the new facilities addresses a need that officials of the Beni Military Tribunal have expressed for several years, as they have faced a shortage of workspace in a context marked by strong demand for justice.
At the ceremony marking the launch of the works, Catherine-Anne Moore, Chief of MONUSCO’s Justice Support Section, stressed that the project represents much more than a simple construction project.
“This is an act of justice,” she said, explaining that it responds to the expectations of a population seeking justice that is more effective, faster and more accessible. According to her, the new offices will enable military magistrates to carry out their duties more effectively.
“These offices will give military magistrates the means to investigate cases more effectively, protect victims and combat impunity,” she added.
Better working conditions
For the project’s direct beneficiaries, this support will significantly contribute to improving the working conditions of judicial staff, as well as the quality of reception provided to people seeking justice.
The President of the Beni Military Garrison Tribunal, Colonel Guy Nyembo, welcomed the start of the works.
“We are very pleased with the launch of this project. It is a project of great importance to us because it will enable us to receive people seeking justice in good conditions and also provide magistrates and court clerks with adequate working conditions. In addition, this project will help build confidence among those seeking justice when they see this building being erected here,” he said.
For military judicial authorities, the new facilities will promote better case management and strengthen citizens’ confidence in the judicial institution.
A project benefiting the local community
Beyond its impact on the functioning of military justice, the project will also generate socio-economic benefits for the local community.
The implementation of the works will require the recruitment of local workers, thereby providing temporary employment opportunities for several young people from Beni and surrounding areas. This approach is in line with MONUSCO’s commitment to simultaneously contributing to the strengthening of public institutions and the economic resilience of communities.
Once completed, the six new offices are expected to enable the Beni Military Garrison Tribunal to better respond to the needs of the population and carry out its mission more effectively in a region where security challenges remain significant.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place in a solemn atmosphere following the death, last week, of senior military justice officials in a plane crash in Kenge. A minute of silence was observed in their memory.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mission de l'Organisation des Nations unies en République démocratique du Congo (MONUSCO).
