The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Pascale Christine Baeriswyl (Switzerland):

The members of the Security Council commended the hosting of the fifth ministerial meeting in Luanda on 12 October and expressed their unwavering support for ongoing mediation efforts through the Luanda Process led by Angola and President Joao Lourenço. They urged all parties to scrupulously abide by the ceasefire agreement signed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda on 30 July with the mediation of Angola. They further condemned recent violations of the ceasefire by M23. They reaffirmed their full support to ongoing region-led peace processes and stressed the importance of such efforts to reverse the escalation of violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is worsening security and stability in the Great Lakes region, further exacerbating the current humanitarian crisis and protection concerns.

The members of the Security Council called on both parties to fully cooperate with Angola in order to speed up the finalization and implementation of the harmonized plan for the neutralization of Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) and the disengagement of foreign forces. They urged the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to engage in the process in good faith and to seize the opportunity to conclude a lasting, peaceful solution to the protracted conflict in the region.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their continued support for all efforts aimed at reaching a sustainable cessation of hostilities, paving the path for a diplomatic settlement and a lasting peace. To this end, they underscored the importance of the Luanda and Nairobi Processes. They reaffirmed their support to the African Union, the East African Community, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and the Southern African Development Community.

The members of the Security Council called on all donors to urgently accelerate and scale up support in response to the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan. They expressed their deep concern at the heavy toll of the ongoing conflict on civilians, including women and children, and at the continued violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights, including gender-based violence, sexual violence in conflict and recruitment, use and abduction of children, which must stop. They urged all parties to allow and facilitate, in accordance with international humanitarian law, and consistent with the United Nations guiding principles of humanitarian assistance, safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access to those in need. They renewed their condemnation of hate speech targeting any community and fuelling intercommunal violence. They emphasized the importance of protection of civilians and ensuring accountability for these violations and abuses, including sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their condemnation of all armed groups operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including M23, ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) and FDLR. They further condemned foreign military support provided to M23 and any other armed groups operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They demanded the cessation of such support and the immediate withdrawal of any such external party from the Democratic Republic of the Congo territory. They also condemned support, notably provided by military forces, to certain armed groups such as the FDLR and demanded the cessation of such support. The members of the Council urged the return of foreign armed groups to their country of origins and the full implementation of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes for all armed groups operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They recalled the final 2024 report of the Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and reiterate their deep concern on reported direct foreign military intervention in Democratic Republic of the Congo territory.

The members of the Security Council strongly condemned the illicit exploitation of and trade in natural resources by armed groups and transnational criminal networks supporting these groups. The members of the Council underlined that these illegal activities undermine lasting peace and development. They called for further steps to urgently address financing of armed groups in particular by strengthening relevant national regulatory and law enforcement capacities. They also expressed the need to address the root causes of the conflict as a foundation for lasting peace, stressing the importance of accountability for human rights abuses, economic development, increased transparency and traceability of mineral trade, as well as support to cross-border civil society exchanges.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well as all States in the region. They reaffirmed their full support to the United Nations efforts to advance peace and security, including the stabilizing actions of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), the Special Representative of the Secretary-General as well as the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes and his Office.