UN chief approves appointment of Lt.-Gen. Mgwebi as commander of Mission in DRC

The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, on Tuesday approved the appointment of Lt.-Gen. Derick Mgwebi as Force Commander of the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mgwebi, from South Africa, succeeds Lt.-Gen. Carlos Cruz of Brazil, who completed his assignment on Dec. 2.

Ban, in a statement in New York, thanked Gen. Cruz for his significant contribution to MONUSCO over the past two and a half years.

According to the statement, Mgwebi has more than 35 years of national and international military experience.

It stated that in 1991, he was appointed Director of Special Forces of the South African National Defence Forces and in 1993, Director of Training and Operations.

It added that Mgwebi held the post of Military Secretary at the Ministry of Defence (1995-1997) and served at Mpumalanga Command (1997-2002), after which he was appointed Director of the South African Army Infantry Formation.

From 2004 to 2006, he served as Force Commander of the United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB).

He is currently the Chief, Joint Operations, of the South African National Defence Forces.

NAN reports that in March, the Security Council passed a resolution, renewing for 12 months the mandate of MONUSCO.

It also endorsed recommendations made in the Secretary-General’s report on the strategic review of the mission.

Among the recommendations contained in the strategic review of MONUSCO the Council endorsed were those on transforming the force to become more efficient and effective in implementing its mandate.

It also endorsed the recommendation to reduce the MONUSCO force by 2,000 troops, while maintaining an authorised troop ceiling.