MONUC, which became MONUSCO in 2010, was created in 1999 to monitor and implement the ceasefire between the DRC, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. The ceasefire helped stabilize the region after years of conflict, causing over 5 million deaths.
The mission has been authorized to use all necessary means to carry out its mandate relating, among other things, to the protection of civilians, humanitarian personnel and human rights defenders under imminent threat of physical violence and to support the Government of the DRC in its stabilization and peace consolidation efforts.