Delegates in Security Council Urge Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo to Uphold Ceasefire Agreement, Voice Support for Ongoing Diplomatic Efforts

Delegates in Security Council Urge Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo to Uphold Ceasefire Agreement, Voice Support for Ongoing Diplomatic Efforts

The map of violence often aligns with that of natural resources, the Head of the Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo told the Security Council today, while a civil society representative stressed that the country is not asking for charity but for justice.

Bintou Keita, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), highlighted the escalating insecurity in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, especially related to the activity of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), 23 March Movement (M23), Coalition of Congolese Democrats (CODECO) and Zaire militia. M23 has consolidated its civil and military occupation in North Kivu, while the Allied Democratic Forces remains the deadliest armed group, with hundreds of civilians killed in recent months.

Almost 6.4 million people are currently displaced due to armed conflicts and natural hazards and multiple epidemics aggravating the situation. The Government has initiated reforms to improve the people's purchasing power, enhance access to social services and promote sound management of public funds, but there are political tensions around calls to revise the Constitution, she reported.

As the Council prepares to determine MONUSCO's new mandate, she noted, the Mission is working with the Government on a disengagement approach tailored to territorial security dynamics and protection of civilians. She also noted the upcoming summit to be held in Luanda, and commended Angola's tireless mediation efforts. A memorandum of understanding has been signed between that country and the Mission to support the operationalization of the reinforced ad hoc verification mechanism, mandated to monitor the 4 August ceasefire. Further, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda have signed a "concept of operations" as part of a broader peace accord, while the mandate of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been renewed for another year.

Also addressing the Council was Passy Mubalama, Founder of the Action and Development Initiative for the Protection of Women and Children, who painted a grim picture of the human tragedy unfolding in her country. "Imagine that you flee your village, devastated by war, to seek refuge in a displaced persons camp to protect your family from rebel atrocities. But once there, this place, which is supposed to be a refuge, becomes a target," she said. Citing Noëlla, a 26-year-old mother of three whose husband was killed by M23 during the capture of the town of Mushaki, she said: "Fleeing towards a displacement camp or staying in our homes is simply choosing where we want to die."

Over 4,000 soldiers from the Rwandan armed forces are on Congolese soil, she said, asking: "How can we justify this presence and progression of the rebels in an area where the world's largest United Nations mission is located with more than 20,000 blue helmets?" The current maintenance of this force in North Kivu - with its current mandate - does not respond effectively to the threat hovering over the civilian populations of this area, she said, underlining the need to exert diplomatic pressure on regional actors.

Given the near-absolute silence from the Security Council, she asked: "How can you grow tired when thousands of people continue to be killed? How can you grow tired when every day, women, children and sometimes even babies are victims of rape? How can you abandon them while children die of starvation in displaced persons camps, or displaced women are forced to resort to survival sex to […] buy food?" Yet, despite everything they have been through, the survivors have not lost their faith in a better future. "They are fighters who, if supported, will rebuild our communities," she stressed.

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, State Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Francophonie of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, told the Council that more than 4,000 members of the Rwanda Defence Force are present illegally on her country's territory and carrying out offensive actions with support from M23. Highlighting the premeditated displacements of civilians, which aim to redesign the demographic composition of territories, she said: "These practices have all the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing."

Rwanda has also targeted MONUSCO forces, she said, but continues to qualify these acts as defensive measures. "It is not the speeches made by Rwanda that define its posture but its actions," she added. While that country committed, in the concept of operations, to withdrawing its troops from Congolese territory, its expert members have not taken up their duties in the verification mechanism mandated to monitor the ceasefire.

Given this, MONUSCO's renewed mandate must reflect the regional dimension of the conflict. South Kivu demonstrates that a responsible withdrawal can help to enhance the stability and resilience of communities, she said, noting that in other sensitive areas, it is necessary to "shore up the authority of the State". While her country remains committed to peace, "this quest for peace cannot be undertaken at the expense of our sovereignty", she stressed.

However, Rwanda's delegate stressed that "framing this as an intra-African hostility diminishes the complexity of the conflict and the roles of various actors involved". Stressing the need to harmonize the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes, he pointed to "major deficiencies" in the Secretary-General' report. It creates the impression that M23 is the root cause of the conflict, but the conflict is premised on the marginalization of the minority communities, including the Congolese Tutsi in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

"Peace is more prevalent in the areas controlled by the M23" than the areas under the coalition, he added. The report also ignores the killings, ethnic cleansing and forced displacement targeting Congolese Tutsis, he said, adding that M23 is fighting to claim their rights. Some of the most powerful actors in the Council have chosen to pursue their national interests in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he added.

Also pointing to inflammatory rhetoric made by Democratic Republic of the Congo leaders, he dismissed the accusations about mineral exploitation. His country sits on the same geological rock as the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and all the minerals found there are to be found in Rwanda as well. The only solution to address the illegal exploitation of minerals is to establish infrastructure and trade regulations, which cannot happen without peace.

Angola's delegate shared the latest developments of the Luanda Process, spotlighting the sixth Ministerial Meeting between the two countries as well as the upcoming tripartite summit - this represents the culmination of a series of mediation initiatives to achieve peace, stability and economic development in the region. However, he emphasized, the mediation efforts will only be successful if all concerned parties, including the Council, "express continued commitment to further contribute to an environment conducive to security and stability in the region".

Many Council members called on Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to uphold the ceasefire agreement and voiced support for ongoing diplomatic efforts. The representative of Sierra Leone, also speaking for Algeria, Guyana and Mozambique, cited the sixth Ministerial Meeting as "a crucial step". He also expressed deep concern about M23's continued offensive in violation of the ceasefire, and its territorial expansion, including establishing parallel administrations in mining areas, particularly in the Rubaya mining site. Concurrently, he condemned all forms of support for other armed groups in North Kivu, adding: "The presence of more than 200 armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a grave threat, not only to the country but also to regional stability in the Great Lakes."

"We have high hopes for the upcoming meeting at the end of this month between the Presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda," the Russian Federation's representative said. Stressing that it is essential "to do everything possible to prevent the creation of a security vacuum", he said it is vital to consider the ability of the Congolese authorities to ensure security. At the same time, "it is difficult to overestimate the official position clearly set out by the host State," he added.

"Right now MONUSCO remains well-positioned to do what peacekeeping missions do best: create space for peace processes and protect civilians," the representative of the United States said, commending the Mission and the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for revising withdrawal planning to better reflect conditions on the ground. Also stressing the importance of allowing MONUSCO to implement its mandate, she called on Rwanda to "immediately remove its surface to air missile systems from North Kivu and cease GPS signal interference".

"It is essential that the focus on the M23 does not overshadow the victims of the violence in Ituri and elsewhere and that accountability is ensured," said Switzerland's representative, sounding the alarm over the security and humanitarian situation in the eastern part of the country. In the already overcrowded camps for displaced persons, people are suffering from increased insecurity, sexual and gender-based violence and intolerable living conditions. Echoing the call for accountability, Slovenia's delegate said the violence caused by the territorial expansion of M23 has driven one of the world's largest displacement crises. Calling on all parties to facilitate safe and unhindered humanitarian access, he condemned any violence, threats or intimidation against humanitarian workers.

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