Israel sent its 5th Committee Representative along with other UN delegates on a special mission to Africa. While there, the UN representatives are inspecting various Peacekeeping Missions in the region and exploring the facts on the ground.
Yotam Goren joined UN colleagues from Poland, the European Union, Tanzania, Spain, New Zealand, Nigeria, Japan, Uganda, United Kingdom, Togo, Belgium, Brazil, Norway, Finland, South Korea & Italy, on this special visit.
In Entebbe, Yotam visited a regional service center (RSCE), an initiative by the UN department of Field Support to centralize logistics for the peacekeeping operations in central eastern Africa where 5 Peacekeeping Mission are active. While there, with the help of a colleague from Uganda, Yotam was able to visit the old airport, the site of Operation Yonatan, where the bullet holes are still visible.
Mr. Goren also visited Goma - the site of the largest peacekeeping force in the world where nearly 19,000 UN troops are protecting local civilians and fighting armed groups in eastern Congo. The UN delegation visited several operation positions where companies and battalions of peacekeepers are protecting villages against over 20 different local armed groups.
In May, the delegation will convene to discuss the budget of the MONUSCO peacekeeping force and therefore, the trip was an opportunity to see how they operate and what their needs are.