James Swan steps in as new MONUSCO chief in DR Congo

James Swan has officially taken office as the new head of the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, MONUSCO.

The American diplomat was appointed in early March and succeeds Guinean official Bintou Keita, who left Kinshasa on 30 November 2025 after four years in charge.

Swan is no stranger to the country. He previously served as US ambassador to the DRC under President Barack Obama, and later headed the UN mission in Somalia. But he returns to Congo at a particularly tense moment, with relations between Kinshasa and Kigali poisoned by the conflict in the east.

One of his first major tasks will be to help relaunch the peace process and put into practice the ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism set out in the Doha agreement, signed on 15 November 2025. Monusco has already warned it lacks sufficient resources and has asked the UN Security Council for additional support to carry out its renewed mandate.

The security situation in eastern DRC remains highly volatile, with the AFC/M23 rebels active in North and South Kivu, and the Islamic State’s Central Africa Province gaining ground in Ituri, alongside several other armed groups.

Another key priority for James Swan will be securing the reopening of the main airports in North and South Kivu, and ensuring freedom of movement for UN peacekeepers – conditions Monusco says are essential for it to fulfill its mission.