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7903rd Security Council Meeting: Democratic Republic of Congo
Briefing on the situation was Maman Sidikou, Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), who presented the relevant report of the Secretary-General (document S/2017/206). He pointed to the forthcoming elections in emphasizing the need for United Nations support, citing the diverging points of view and violence causing further delay.
Emphasizing that the risk of electoral violence remained high, mainly in urban areas, he cautioned that it was likely to rise further. Delayed implementation of the “comprehensive and inclusive political agreement”, signed in Kinshasa on 31 December 2016, was prolonging the current political uncertainty, he pointed out. He expressed particular concern about reports of excessive use of force, and the discovery of mass graves in the Kasai provinces, and encouraged the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to conduct thorough investigations and ensure that the perpetrators were held fully to account.
He went on to state that community-based violence and inter-ethnic clashes had spread from provinces already affected by armed conflict. While coordinated military operations by MONUSCO and the Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo (FARDC) had helped to maintain military pressure on armed groups, the resurgence of violence in the rest of the country had been exacerbated by the uncertain political situation, the manipulation of grievances for political ends, and the support provided to armed militias by some political actors. “Only political solutions can address and stem the rising levels of violence now being witnessed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” he said. MONUSCO remained fully engaged in protecting and promoting human rights and political space, he stressed.
The 31 December agreement provided a clear path towards elections, setting the stage for MONUSCO’s drawdown and exit, he said. In that regard, the Mission’s main strategic objective would be to support the establishment of an environment conducive to the timely holding of peaceful, credible and inclusive elections, in accordance with the agreement’s provisions. Accordingly, MONUSCO had already adjusted its posture and operations, provided support for updating the voter register, and strengthened its civilian and military presence and operations in new areas of concern, he said.
Addressing the Council, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo said that it was “unacceptable” that MONUSCO was unable to end the crisis in his country, which had lasted several years. Any extension of its mandate must respect the wishes of the Congolese people, he emphasized. The Mission was no longer the sole responder to most of the nation’s residual security challenges, he added, crediting the national armed forces with having undertaken nearly all response, and calling upon the Council to provide an exit-strategy timeline for MONUSCO. Support from the Mission was running into difficulties, noting delays in the delivery of electoral materials. Despite that setback, however, the Government was committed to creating conditions for a peaceful and transparent electoral process, he said.
The Deputy Prime Minister, who is also Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, condemned duplicity and lack of cooperation on the part of certain countries, he urged the United Nations to take the necessary steps to swiftly expel their combatants from Congolese territory. He also condemned the abduction of two Security Council experts, saying the national security forces were trying to find them. Turning to the human rights situation, he said ad hoc organizations were responsible for helping the Government provide support in that regard. Pointing out the drop in sexual violence, he called for his country’s removal from the list of those with high rates of rape, and those recruiting children for use as soldiers.
Turning to the forthcoming elections, he said some 12 million voters had already been registered. The political agenda was currently dominated by the 31 December agreement, he said, assuring the Council that the Government had no intention of delaying its implementation. Regarding security, he noted the continuing presence of armed groups and combatants in the eastern part of the country and pledged that the national armed forces would continue their mission until all such criminals were eradicated.
Uruguay’s representative emphasized that it was “very difficult” to understand the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s request to reduce the Mission and present an exit strategy, declaring: “This is no time for political game-playing.” The most pressing task before the United Nations was to support implementation of the transition agreement, to contribute to the holding of elections and the peaceful transfer of power, he said. Conflict had reared its ugly head in several parts of the country, and the Organization had itself been a victim, as seen in the recent abduction of two Security Council experts.
Also addressing the Council was the President of the National Episcopal Conference of the Congo (CENCO), who noted that the Democratic Republic of the Congo was in the midst of a sociopolitical crisis, emphasizing that the 31 December accord was the “only document that can rescue” the country from a constitutional crisis. Yet its implementation had stalled, he said, adding that tensions continued to simmer. The Catholic Church had been targeted by the militia accusing it of not doing enough to promote implementation of the agreement.
A third briefer, from the Common Cause Network, declared: “Citizens no longer have trust in State institutions,” citing excessive use of force, human rights violations and the discovery of mass graves, as well as the stagnant economy, monetary depreciation, corruption, unemployment, and the lack of access to basic social services. “Political dialogue is the only way to settle this crisis,” she said. The people’s long suffering was no longer acceptable.
The meeting began at 11:03 a.m. and ended at 12:07 p.m.
