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Situation in Democratic Republic of the Congo - 8778th Meeting of Security Council
Drawdown Should Begin with Non-Essential Troops, Permanent Representative Stresses, Urging Resources for Special Rapid Response Unit
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has closed nine field offices since the peaceful transfer of power in the 2018 presidential elections, the Organization’s top official in that country told the Security Council today, reporting that a new strategy for the operation’s eventual closure recognizes and is tailored to differing realities on the ground and security needs in each province.
“The drawdown and ultimate withdrawal of MONUSCO has figured prominently in our discussions with the Government in recent months,” said Leila Zerrougui, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in her briefing on the Secretary-General’s latest report on the Mission (document S/2020/1150).
The result of these discussions is the joint strategy, which was shared with this Council by the Secretary-General on 26 October, she said, adding that it represents a common vision for the Mission’s gradual, responsible and sustainable drawdown and exit.
The Mission is currently present in six provinces, in addition to its headquarters in Kinshasa, she continued, explaining that the joint strategy is tailored to province-specific situations and aims to progressively consolidate the Mission’s footprint in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri, which are most affected by conflict. By June 2021, MONUSCO will withdraw completely from the Kasaïs, and by June 2022, it will also be able to withdraw from Tanganyika, should stabilization persist.
Ultimately, the primary responsibility for the protection of civilians lies with State authorities, she emphasized, adding that the sustainability and tempo of MONUSCO’s transition therefore hinges on the Government’s capacity to assume security responsibilities and strengthen its institutional presence across the country.
Turning to the political situation, she said that the country is unfortunately going through a period of heightened political tensions, marked by persistent differences within the governing coalition. On 6 December, President Félix Antoine Tshilombo Tshisekedi announced the dissolution of the coalition made up of his Cape for Change, and that of former President Joseph Kabila’s Common Front for the Congo. He decided to appoint an official to help form a new majority in support of his reform agenda. If this fails, he would dissolve the National Assembly and ask the Congolese people to give it a majority through the ballot boxes. However, she added, the Front rejected the decisions as unconstitutional.
In view of these tensions, MONUSCO has met over the past month with many representatives of the political forces and civil society concerned, to encourage them to resolve their differences through dialogue, and avoid any provocations likely to incite violence, she said.
Today’s meeting took place ahead of an expected extension of MONUSCO’s mandate, which expires on 20 December.
In the ensuing discussion, Council members exchanged views on MONUSCO’s reconfiguration, including the Intervention Brigade, a military unit within the Mission that is authorized to take offensive action.
France’s representative said MONUSCO must focus now on areas where the situation is most volatile, stressing that the drawdown must be strategic and sequenced, with reforms in the justice and security sectors prioritized, as well as development and the engagement of women. The Mission should be deployed most effectively, with reconfiguration of the Intervention Brigade. A renewed partnership with the Government is also needed, he added.
The representative of the United States welcomed the progress that the Congolese Government has made in governance and gender equity. However, much more progress is needed in disarmament and reintegration, as well as in planning for a responsible drawdown and transition. He urged that the United Nations to move forward with mandated enhancements to the Intervention Brigade.
Estonia’s delegate said that the international community must be aware of MONUSCO’s numerous responsibilities, including protecting civilians, advancing women, peace and security, addressing violations against children and supporting security sector reform. “A refocusing of MONUSCO and a gradual transfer of its responsibilities has to ensure that there are not setbacks in the progress made,” he said.
South Africa’s representative, Council President for December, spoke in his national capacity and also on behalf of Niger, Tunisia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, urging further coordination of military deployments to avoid gaps in civilian protection, along with continued capacity-building of national forces. MONUSCO should be provided with adequate resources. “A budget-driven, rushed exit of MONUSCO would be disastrous and undermine decades of investment in peacekeeping,” he emphasized. He also underlined his group’s support for extending MONUSCO’s mandate for one year, maintaining current strength and objectives.
The representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo described how the Government is implementing a three-fold strategy towards building defence and security capacity through security sector reform, promoting national reconciliation and activating regional diplomacy to defuse tensions. As for the Intervention Brigade, he called for an increase in resources so that the Brigade is equipped with a special unit to rapidly respond to the situation on the ground. MONOSCO’s force drawdown should begin with non-essential troops. In addition, his Government has created a joint working group to discuss the transfer of security responsibilities to State authorities.
He also pointed out that his country’s President decided to end the coalition, after two years of tireless efforts, because he was unable to implement his reform programmes. The President also decided to appoint a rapporteur who is responsible for identifying a new coalition. Yet, despite these political tensions, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is committed to adhering to the principle of rule of law and democracy and delivering on social and economic reforms, the representative informed the Council.
Also speaking were the representatives of Viet Nam, Indonesia, Germany, Dominican Republic, Belgium, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, and China.
The meeting began at 10:04 a.m. and ended at 12:02 p.m.
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