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UN evacuates 224 Staff from Bukavu via Rwanda

By IGIHE
On 4 February 2025 at 07:02

The Deputy Spokesperson of the Rwanda Government, Alain Mukuralinda, announced that 224 employees of the United Nations (UN), who were working in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), were evacuated through Rwanda.

He stated that Rwanda received a request from the UN to allow passage for these workers, who were stationed in different branches of the organization in Bukavu.

"A total of 224 UN employees crossed the border into Rwanda from Bukavu. They are UN staff, not diplomats from embassies. What we can confirm is that they crossed the border into Rwanda," he clarified.

Mukuralinda refrained from providing further details regarding how the staff would be accommodated or taken care of as they continued their journey. According to him, the UN had initially engaged with the Rwandan government to seek approval for the passage of its personnel.

This development comes as the M23 rebel group, having taken control of the city of Goma on January 26, 2025, have dismissed any plans to seize Bukavu despite recent reports of its forces advancing toward the city.

On January 31, Jean Pierre Lacroix, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, confirmed that the M23 rebels were advancing towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province.

Rwanda had recently facilitated the evacuation of UN staff from Goma, allowing them passage through its border with the DRC in Rubavu District.

Upon arrival in Kigali, they were provided with initial assistance at Kigali Pelé Stadium then transferred to hotels for rest before continuing their journey. At that time, more than 1,800 UN employees and their families were received.

Besides the UN personnel who fled the conflict between the Congolese army (FARDC), M23, and allied armed groups such as FDLR, European mercenaries from Romania were also evacuated through Rwanda. Additionally, some FARDC soldiers, after suffering defeats at the hands of M23, fled into Rwanda.

They were driven to accommodation centers as they continue with their journey.
The Deputy Spokesperson of the Rwanda Government, Alain Mukuralinda, confirmed that 224 employees of the United Nations (UN), who were working in Bukavu were evacuated through Rwanda.
The 224 UN employees crossed the border into Rwanda from Bukavu.

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