Advanced military technologies can greatly benefit UN peacekeeping, according to the Force Commander at the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).

Lieutenant-General Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz recently briefed the Security Council on how the mission will deploy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or “drones” to gather information on armed groups.

Eastern DRC continues to be a volatile region, and the UN mission is also preparing for the full arrival of an Intervention Brigade to carry out targeted operations “to neutralize and disarm” local and foreign armed groups there, such as the rebel M23.

Lt-Gen dos Santos Cruz, who is from Brazil, talks to UN Radio’s Maha Fayek about these developments, the situation on the ground, and his strategy for addressing the armed groups.

Duration: 2'45"