A training workshop dedicated to combating the financing of terrorism opened on Tuesday June 17, 2025 in Beni, North Kivu province.
A training workshop on countering terrorist financing was launched on Tuesday, 17 June 2025, in Beni, North Kivu province. Organized by MONUSCO’s Justice Support Section, this eleven-day workshop aims to strengthen the capacities of ten magistrates, judicial police inspectors, and security service agents to enable them to identify and investigate financial networks linked to terrorist activities.
Among the armed groups active in the Beni region is the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), originally from Uganda and present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since the 1990s. Accused of massacring thousands of civilians, the group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019, which claims some of its attacks under the name ISCAP (Islamic State Central Africa Province).
According to a report by the UN Group of Experts published in June 2023, the ADF’s network extends beyond Beni, Lubero, and Ituri, maintaining ties with Islamic State affiliates in Somalia, Mozambique, and South Africa. These connections are sustained through an opaque financial system involving intermediaries, businesses, and money transfer platforms.
Against this backdrop, Ghislain Toe, coordinator of MONUSCO’s Justice Support Section in Beni and representative of the head of the sub-office, opened the workshop by emphasizing the need for an appropriate judicial response to emerging threats. “Terrorist financing is a transnational threat, facilitated by modern technologies, digital platforms, and informal circuits beyond the reach of traditional control mechanisms. In response, the judiciary must be structured, determined, and focused on effectiveness.” he stated.
According to him, it is no longer enough to repress terrorist acts; it is essential to target the financing mechanisms that enable them. He noted that this kind of training allows justice professionals to better detect suspicious financial flows, enhance cooperation with national and international institutions, and remain vigilant to the ever-evolving strategies of terrorist groups.
Following an initial session held in Bunia from 2 to 13 June 2025, the training will continue in Kinshasa with a final session dedicated to training of trainers. In total, thirty Congolese magistrates, police officers, and civil agents will benefit from the guidance of two MONUSCO experts specialized in criminal analysis and digital investigations.
The objective is to boost the effectiveness of judicial actors in identifying illicit financial flows, understanding the digital tools used by armed groups, and applying sanctions aligned with national law and international standards.
Through this initiative, MONUSCO reaffirms its commitment to civilian protection by supporting the strengthening of judicial and security institutions. By equipping local actors to address new forms of criminality, it contributes to a sustainable response to terrorism in eastern DRC.