Congo Season Double Bill Screening: The UN in Congo

As part of Frontline’s Congo Season, we present two reports that focus on the role that the UN plays in the DRC and discuss with the filmmakers whether its mission is still a valid one.

The UN’s Dirty War (Unreported World)

Unreported World travels to the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, and uncovers evidence that UN troops are supporting Congolese government forces even as they carry out indiscriminate attacks, sometimes against civilian targets.

Mission Impossible (BBC Panorama)

The UN polices conflicts around the world. But is it up to policing itself? Documents leaked to a joint Panorama/BBC World Service investigation reveal why the UN’s department tasked with rooting out corruption has been called a “combat zone” and found not fit for purpose.

From a maximum security jail and the gold mines in Congo to the lap-dancing bars of New York Raphael Rowe examines how the organisation is struggling to eradicate the rot at its core.