YouSaid · the spoken record

Huang Xia

lines on the record: 131
first: 2019-10-03
most recent: 2023-10-17
sittings or episodes: 10
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We need dialogue and stepped-up efforts with the parties concerned so that they can demonstrate restraint, maintain open channels of communication and implement the steps adopted within the framework of the Luanda and Nairobi processes. Military solutions alone will not be enough to build a strong and lasting peace. Political will, good faith and a genuine desire to end the suffering of the people are the factors that will ultimately — I am certain — make the difference, in keeping with the letter and spirit of the Addis Ababa Framework Agreement.”
2023-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9440 (2023) · source
“In that regard, my Office will continue to support advocacy missions by women leaders, the most recent of which took place at the end of August in Kinshasa and Goma, with the goal of strengthening the protection of women in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and ensuring a greater role for them in peace processes. I would be remiss if I failed to reaffirm the importance of prioritizing diplomacy and pursuing dialogue to find an appropriate solution for overcoming the current challenges to bring about for peace, stability and prosperity in the Great Lakes region. We need a political solution more than ever.”
2023-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9440 (2023) · source
“In that vein, the ICGLR Executive Secretary and I have just concluded a joint mission to China aimed at mobilizing greater political, diplomatic, financial and technical support from partners for transparent governance of natural resources, in line with the recommendations of the Khartoum workshop on natural resources. Similarly, through the flagship initiative on the involvement of women in peace and security issues, the United Nations in the region continues to promote the effective participation of women, as well as young people, in political dialogue initiatives. They have an important role to play and a responsibility to shoulder in the search for peace and security in the region.”
2023-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9440 (2023) · source
“In that respect, at a high-level forum on the implementation of the regional strategy on artisanal gold, held in September in Kinshasa and supported by my Office and the Secretariat of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), I appealed to all ICGLR member States to implement the strategy and the regional tracing mechanism arising from it, given the strong correlation between the illicit exploitation and trade of artisanal gold and the financing of armed groups operating in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2023-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9440 (2023) · source
“I would also like to remind Council members that the United Nations is committed to strengthening peace and security in the Great Lakes region through the United Nations Strategy for Peace Consolidation, Conflict Prevention and Conflict Resolution in the Great Lakes Region, which includes 14 flagship initiatives whose effective implementation is aimed precisely at tackling the root causes of instability in the region. I therefore call on all partners to fill the funding gap for that Strategy, the comparative advantage of which has been proven.”
2023-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9440 (2023) · source
“In the same vein, I will continue to advocate non-military measures, in particular through the operational cell of the Contact and Coordination Group, which is working to complement the ongoing peace processes with a view to repatriating foreign armed groups to their countries of origin. I would also like to take this opportunity to reiterate my call to all armed groups to lay down their weapons and to the Congolese armed groups to rejoin the Disarmament, Demobilization, Community Recovery and Stabilization Programme.”
2023-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9440 (2023) · source
“In that regard, efforts to revitalize the Addis Ababa Framework Agreement provide an opportunity to mobilize all stakeholders and work further to achieve the Agreement’s objectives. In that connection, my Office will be organizing a retreat from 31 October to 1 November in Durban, South Africa, in cooperation with the African Union, in accordance with the decision of the eleventh high-level meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism to assess the Agreement, 10 years after its adoption by the signatory countries. The Framework Agreement remains central to peace and security in the Great Lakes region.”
2023-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9440 (2023) · source
“Those two initiatives are encouraging and should, in my view, be supported by the Security Council, as they reflect the determination of the States and organizations in the region to prioritize a political solution, while at the same time making military preparations for the possible use of force against armed groups that refuse to lay down their weapons. For several months now, as part of the Secretary- General’s good offices and my mandate, I have visited several countries in the region, in particular Angola, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda, to advocate peace, try to further strengthen confidence and mobilize all partners to find a peaceful solution to the region’s challenges.”
2023-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9440 (2023) · source
“I would like to mention, in particular President Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi; President João Lourenço of Angola; and the Facilitator of the East African Community, former President Uhuru Kenyatta. I would also like to pay tribute to the efforts of the African Union, which convened a quadripartite summit in June to strengthen coordination between the Luanda and Nairobi processes. That high-level meeting was followed by a meeting of the Chiefs of Staff of the quadripartite members, on 6 October in Addis Ababa, which was also aimed at coordinating the modalities for the deployment and operations of military forces in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2023-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9440 (2023) · source
“We remain equally concerned by the serious deterioration of the humanitarian situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the ever- increasing number of displaced persons and refugees, the vast majority of whom are girls, boys, women and men whose hopes and rights have been virtually destroyed. Their suffering must end. We therefore reiterate our call to the entire international community to step up humanitarian assistance and take urgent measures to facilitate the return of the displaced persons to their homes, and above all, to ensure the education of the children, who are tomorrow’s future. I would also like to take the opportunity to commend the ongoing commitment of the actors in the region and the international community for its tireless efforts to promote peace and security in the Great Lakes region.”
2023-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9440 (2023) · source
“The risk of a direct confrontation between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, which continue to accuse each other of supporting enemy armed groups — the Mouvement du 23 mars, on the one hand, and the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda, on the other — remains real. The military build-up in both countries, the absence of direct high-level dialogue and the persistence of hate speech are all worrisome signs that we cannot ignore. In addition, the worrisome expansion of the Allied Democratic Forces is threatening regional integrity with its terrorist connections.”
2023-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9440 (2023) · source
“I thank the Security Council for the opportunity to present the most recent report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region (S/2023/730). Council members will recall that when I last appeared before the Council (see S/PV.9307) I expressed concern about the deteriorating security situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the equally worrisome rise in tensions in the Great Lakes region. Unfortunately, six months on, the security and humanitarian situations have not improved. On the contrary, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, we are witnessing a resumption of large-scale hostilities in Masisi and Rutshuru in North Kivu.”
2023-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9440 (2023) · source
“All of those efforts also aim to ensure greater participation by women and young people in dialogue and peace processes, as well as to advocate for more transparent management of natural resources. The Great Lakes region needs the Security Council more than ever before — to foster an immediate de-escalation of tensions in the region, encourage a political solution to the current crisis and support more serious implementation of the Addis Ababa Framework. That support from the Council will be decisive, crucial and urgent.”
2023-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9307 (2023) · source
“That regional initiative works to disarm and repatriate foreign armed combatants present in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It also aims to strengthen the hosting and reintegration capacities in countries of origin. Lastly, we will step up our efforts to implement the United Nations strategy for the Great Lakes region and the flagship initiatives. We will do all that in close cooperation with all the United Nations agencies involved, as well as with international partners. The latter have supported us tirelessly, as demonstrated by the success of the meeting of aid agencies co-organized with Belgium on 28 March. In that connection, I would like to take this opportunity to once again express my deep gratitude to all partner countries.”
2023-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9307 (2023) · source
“As mandated by the Security Council and on the instructions of the Secretary-General, I will continue my good offices and to underscore the imperative of pursuing dialogue and a political solution. My Office will continue to support the holding of the next high- level meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism planned for Burundi, a summit that, as I mentioned, will be an important event, especially when it comes to continuing dialogue among the Heads of State of the region and for speeding up the implementation of decisions emerging from the ongoing political effort, namely, the Nairobi and Luanda processes. Moreover, my Office will continue its support to the operational cell on non-military measures.”
2023-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9307 (2023) · source
“On 12 and 13 April at Nairobi, the signatory countries held a first exchange on the subject during a meeting of the technical support committee for the implementation of the Framework, which I co-chaired with my colleague from the African Union. Lastly, the eleventh summit of the Regional Oversight Mechanism of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework will take place in Bujumbura on 6 May, where Heads of State from the region will provide their respective views. I hope that it will be an opportunity to strengthen the coordination and harmonization of regional processes to put an end to the current crisis. In the current circumstances, we must not spare any effort and must entrench the achievements to date. To that end, allow me to conclude by sharing some views on the way forward for the coming months.”
2023-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9307 (2023) · source
“The ongoing discussions on revitalizing it mark an important stage. On behalf of the United Nations, my Office will provide the necessary support and contribution, alongside other guarantor institutions. Allow me to emphasize the point that, 10 years after the signing of the Addis Ababa Framework, consensus exists as to the fact that it remains relevant and important for the region’s stability. But there is also an emerging consensus today that there is a need to revitalize it, as embraced by the African Union Peace and Security Council on 17 February. Following that, on 29 March, the African Union Commission brought together, among others, representatives of the guarantor institutions to the Framework. That meeting drew up recommendations.”
2023-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9307 (2023) · source
“In that context, we should welcome and support regional peace efforts, including the Luanda process, led by President Lourenço of Angola, which aims to re-establish peaceful relations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda; and the Nairobi process, led by the East African Community under the leadership of President Ndayishimiye and former President Uhuru Kenyatta, focused on convening political consultations and on military efforts. Those two crucial initiatives require stronger unanimous support from us. They make up the two complementary tracks towards a resolution of the current crisis, which together should lead to a resolution. Once that phase is completed, the countries of the Great Lakes regions should, in the medium and long-term, focus on the implementation of the Addis Ababa Framework.”
2023-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9307 (2023) · source
“Lastly, we must encourage the comprehensive implementation of all the commitments undertaken in the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region, which is more relevant than ever so long as it is fully realized through concrete actions guided by robust and ever-stronger political will. Nevertheless, the urgent thing is to put an end to the crisis. We must avoid an escalation to war. Let us say it again: the Great Lakes region does not need a new war.”
2023-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9307 (2023) · source
“More than 38,000 Congolese became refugees between October 2022 and February of this year. Tensions continue between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and trust between the two countries appears to be at an ebb. There is a stark contrast in the panorama across the Great Lakes region — in some cases encouraging while, in others, revealing a security and humanitarian situation that continues to be quite troubling. That disparity requires that the Security Council and all of the region’s partners renew and strengthen our efforts. We must take advantage of the current small window of opportunity. We must prioritize a real decrease in tensions. We must support the efforts by the region to put an end to the crisis.”
2023-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9307 (2023) · source
“The retreat by the M-23 from occupied areas remains incomplete. The disarmament and cantonment of combatants, provided for under the Luanda road map, is yet to be achieved. The negotiated political solution they themselves are increasingly calling for is lagging behind. The risk of a resumption of hostilities remains a genuine possibility. Local and external armed groups continue to sow terror and fuel insecurity. They include the Allied Democratic Forces, the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda and the Résistance pour un État de droit au Burundi. The social and humanitarian consequences of this state of affairs are disastrous. They fuel the endless cycle of tensions between communities and favour the proliferation of hate speech. Approximately 600,000 people have been displaced in North Kivu province alone.”
2023-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9307 (2023) · source
“I thank the Security Council for this opportunity to brief it on developments in the Great Lakes region since the submission of the most recent report (S/2023/237) of the Secretary-General. As I speak here today, a slight improvement can be noted. On the military front, a fragile calm has taken root in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There have been no major clashes in recent days between the Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo and the Mouvement du 23 mars (M-23), while a fragile ceasefire also seems to be holding. The deployment of troops from the regional force of the East African Community is continuing. Undiplomatic exchanges between Kigali and Kinshasa has decreased. Nevertheless, regardless of some progress, serious risks continue to exist.”
2023-04-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9307 (2023) · source
“The stabilization of the region and the restoration of confidence, which together represent a lengthy twofold process, require sustained and significant mobilization by the international community in support of the efforts of the Governments and the peoples of the region. Only through coordinated, cohesive and harmonious action can we support the Great Lakes on the path to peace and sustainable development.”
2022-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9165 (2022) · source
“During my many missions to the region, high expectations were expressed to the United Nations with regard to political, technical and financial support for peace efforts. I would again like to reiterate my deep appreciation to all the partners and friends of the Great Lakes region who have continued to make financial or technical contributions to peacebuilding efforts in the region. I would also like to solicit the support of the members of the Security Council and to further appeal to the entire international community to lend more substantial multifaceted support to the regional initiatives and to the United Nations action plan for the Great Lakes region.”
2022-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9165 (2022) · source
“In addition, my Office, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund and the ICGLR, organized a workshop to build the capacity of youth networks in the region in conflict prevention and peacebuilding from 17 to 20 October in Nairobi, in which many very enthusiastic young people participated. All of those efforts, undertaken by my Office in close collaboration with the significant United Nations system presence in the region, including the resident coordinator’s office, are part of the 2022–2023 United Nations action plan for the Great Lakes region, whose flagship initiatives in the areas of peace and security, development and humanitarian action will be presented in detail to the Peacebuilding Commission on 31 October.”
2022-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9165 (2022) · source
“To that end, we plan to carry out joint high-level political advocacy missions in the member States of the Conference, as well as in some of the destination countries for those minerals. Another crucial vector for peace is the ongoing mobilization of women and youth in political processes. Following a study on women’s involvement in electoral management bodies, conducted jointly with the ICGLR Levy Mwanawasa Regional Centre for Democracy, Good Governance, Human Rights and Civic Education, my Office continues to support efforts to promote greater participation by women in electoral processes and bodies.”
2022-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9165 (2022) · source
“I would therefore like to reiterate my appeal to all the signatory countries to step up their efforts to fully implement the Framework Agreement and other regional agreements. Stabilizing the region also depends on its ability to transform its mineral resource endowment, which is strategic for the energy transition, into a vector for sustainable and inclusive development. With this in mind, I conducted a joint advocacy mission with the Executive Secretary of the ICGLR, Mr. João Samuel Caholo, in Paris and Brussels in order to increase support for better natural resource governance. However, we are aware that national and regional ownership of the Regional Initiative on Natural Resources is a prerequisite for its effectiveness.”
2022-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9165 (2022) · source
“Finally, I welcome the decisions taken at the ICGLR ministerial meeting on enhancing judicial cooperation in Kinshasa last June, in particular the adoption of clear guidelines for requesting mutual legal assistance in the Great Lakes region. I call on the signatory countries to expedite the implementation of the Kinshasa declaration. The commitment by regional actors to finding political solutions to maintain stability and peaceful coexistence among States is in line with the principles of the Addis Ababa Framework Agreement. It demonstrates the relevance of that document, together with the ICGLR Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region of 2006, as the basis for consultation and cooperation among the States of the region in order to meet common challenges.”
2022-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9165 (2022) · source
“The mission’s goal was to engage with local actors to identify opportunities for contact with armed groups under the States’ mandate to directly engage with such groups and facilitate their disarmament and voluntary repatriation without political preconditions. Another example of the strength of cooperation is the increasing number of bilateral initiatives aimed at enhancing cooperation among the States of the region in the areas of security, trade, energy and transport. In addition to the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s membership in the EAC, we should also mention the strengthening of security cooperation between Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as the efforts to bring Uganda and Rwanda closer together.”
2022-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9165 (2022) · source
“Because a lasting peace can be achieved only through a political solution to the root causes of the conflict, I also welcome the commitment of States to the implementation of non-military initiatives. At the fifth meeting of the chiefs of intelligence and security services of the countries members of the Contact and Coordination Group, they called for the rapid deployment of the Group’s operational cell to complement the efforts of the EAC regional force. They also called for consultations to determine the modalities for cooperation between the Contact and Coordination Group and the regional force. In that regard, I am pleased to inform the Council that my Office facilitated the operational cell’s first reconnaissance-and-contact mission to South Kivu province.”
2022-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9165 (2022) · source
“I would like to thank Angola, whose mediation between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda made it possible to establish a road map towards a peaceful settlement of the dispute between the two countries. During my visits to Kinshasa and Kigali, the authorities also assured me of their willingness to achieve that objective. While there is no doubt about the will for dialogue, as shown by the many meetings between the two Presidents, concrete actions are needed to give substance to the efforts made in recent months. The appointment of a coordinator for the ad hoc verification mechanism is an encouraging step, and I sincerely hope that the other mechanisms and confidence-building measures provided for in the Luanda road map will also be promptly implemented.”
2022-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9165 (2022) · source
“Like my colleague Ms. Bintou Keita, who briefed the Council about a month ago (see S/PV.9142), I also wish to recall the vital importance of effective coordination between all the troops to be deployed on the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and MONUSCO. Such coordination at the operational level is also essential to the mediation efforts. I am pleased to note that that is also the view of President Lourenço of Angola, the current Chairperson of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), mandated by the African Union, President Ndayishimiye of Burundi, the current Chairperson of the EAC, and the Kenyan authorities, who all assured me of their willingness to continue their efforts in a coordinated manner.”
2022-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9165 (2022) · source
“In response to those challenges, and despite the continuing obstacles, the Governments and the peoples of the region have remained engaged. I commend Kenya’s role in the peace process of the East African Community (EAC) on the situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, which focuses on a dual approach, involving military and non-military efforts. I welcome the announced resumption of the third regional Heads of State conclave on the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Nairobi in the coming weeks, and I reiterate here, as I did with the authorities of the countries of the region, my Office’s full readiness to provide technical support to that process, alongside the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and the relevant departments at Headquarters.”
2022-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9165 (2022) · source
“The rigorous prosecution of the perpetrators of those crimes, as well as human rights violations, including those committed by armed groups, is required to end the recurring violence in the region. The humanitarian situation continues to be of concern, with more than 4.9 million refugees and asylum-seekers having fled owing to the violence and climate-related issues, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In addition, approximately 12 million internally displaced persons are registered in Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and Uganda. I would like to pay tribute to the memory of all the victims of the various crises in the region, and I express my complete solidarity with the refugee and displaced populations.”
2022-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9165 (2022) · source
“The continuing activities of the Allied Democratic Forces, the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda, the Résistance pour un État de droit au Burundi and the M-23 fuel insecurity in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as rekindling mistrust and tensions among the countries of the region, in particular between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. That militancy jeopardizes the progress made in recent years in terms of bilateral and regional cooperation, as called for under the Addis Ababa Framework Agreement. The illicit exploitation of and trade in natural resources continue to fuel the vicious cycle of intercommunal clashes, the activities of armed groups and the use of such resources by cross-border criminal networks.”
2022-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9165 (2022) · source
“I am grateful for the opportunity to brief the members of the Security Council following the publication of the latest report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. During my previous briefing (see S/PV.9023), I expressed concern about the deteriorating security situation and increasing tensions in the region as a result of the resurgence of the Mouvement du 23 mars (M-23). Seven months later, that observation remains relevant, with the resumption of fighting just a few days ago again leading to victims and thousands of displaced persons in Rutshuru territory. The Great Lakes region continues to experience instability due to the militancy of armed groups, which is one of its greatest challenges.”
2022-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9165 (2022) · source
“As we all know, there is a genuine possibility that the recent increase in tensions could reverse the progress made in recent years in terms of dialogue and cooperation between the countries of the Great Lakes region, with potentially harmful consequences for civilian populations, particularly women and girls in the conflict zones of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, who have already borne the brunt of decades of violence. As I said earlier, we must prevent that at all costs. All of us, at the level of our individual countries and via our own diplomatic channels, must make every effort to encourage the countries of the region to maintain a continuing dialogue, even on the most difficult issues. That is the price of preventing the current crisis from worsening.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“I want to reiterate President Macky Sall’s simple, three-pronged message to the countries of the region, which is that the region does not need a new crisis; we should keep the channels of dialogue open at all levels, including at the community level; and we should preserve the progress achieved in recent years through the various cooperation mechanisms. I would also like to reaffirm the commitment of the United Nations to supporting the countries of the region in finding peaceful and lasting solutions to the root causes of instability, as outlined in our regional strategy. I would like to say a final word to the members of the Council. I know that they have to worry about many crises around the world, and I am pleased that the Great Lakes region has not been forgotten.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“In that regard, I want to commend President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya for his leadership, as well as the entire region — in fact, the African continent — for its commitment, as outlined by President Macky Sall of Senegal in his capacity as Chairperson of the African Union, to supporting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its neighbours in their efforts to work together to find solutions to these long-standing problems. In that context, tomorrow I will begin a new tour of the region in person, which, depending on the availability of those I am meeting with, should take me to all the countries concerned in the lead-up to the next Nairobi Conclave.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“I therefore encourage the leaders of the region to continue their high-level dialogue on how to address the threat posed by the armed groups and prevent tensions from escalating between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its neighbours. Dialogue between the leaders of the region concerned remains vital to ending those long- standing and deeply rooted problems once and for all. It is therefore crucial to continue mobilizing the existing bilateral and regional mechanisms, including the recent Nairobi Conclave process, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and, of course, the Addis Ababa Framework Agreement.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“To that end, during the retreat of the operational cell of the Contact and Coordination Group that I mentioned in my last briefing, we developed a strategy for engaging with foreign armed groups and local communities that offers an approach designed to complement efforts to get the members of the groups to surrender and to gain the cooperation of the communities affected by the groups’ activities. My Office will continue its efforts in that regard in close collaboration with the countries concerned. Apart from the security aspects, it is now more important than ever for us to pursue our collective political commitments.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“It goes without saying that we need a comprehensive approach to eradicating the presence of armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, especially in the context of the resurgence of the M-23 and persistent insecurity. And of course we can also understand that the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as the country primarily threatened by those armed groups, is determined to put a stop to it. However, as we have seen many times in the past, I firmly believe that the military option alone is not enough to bring about lasting peace in the region. I therefore want to reiterate the importance of the non-military measures that my Office has been trying to promote for some time.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“While this is a situation that we can only deplore, we must also do everything possible to prevent a new escalation and yet another crisis in the Great Lakes region, with potentially immeasurable humanitarian, security and political consequences. I therefore once again call on all armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to stop the violence, immediately lay down their arms and engage resolutely in the Nairobi political dialogue process facilitated by Kenya. My Office and that of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will continue to provide the technical and logistical support necessary to continue the peace process.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“I am grateful for the opportunity to speak to the Security Council today, not long after my last briefing, just over a month ago (see S/PV.9023), in the light of the regrettably troubling situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and its implications for the region. At the outset, I want to join Assistant Secretary-General Pobee in expressing my sincere condolences to the families of the victims of the recent attacks there and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. Almost 10 years ago, the devastating actions of the Mouvement du 23 mars (M-23) in and around Goma created a regional crisis, exacerbated by mutual accusations between the Democratic Republic of Congo and its neighbours. Sadly, it seems that history is now once again repeating itself.”
2022-05-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9051 (2022) · source
“I would be remiss if I did not thank the Security Council for its ongoing concern for the Great Lakes region. In these uncertain times, where new and old challenges emerge, I would like to call on the Security Council and beyond to reiterate my appeal to the international community to remain mobilized for the Great Lakes region to ensure that all efforts made at all levels can deliver on their promises.”
2022-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9023 (2022) · source
“For as long as the impunity that fuels the cycle of violence and promotes recruitment into armed groups prevails, it will be difficult to rebuild trust between the people and the Government. In that context, my Office will continue to support the efforts of the countries of the region in combating impunity and promoting human rights, in particular the work being done by the Great Lakes Judicial Cooperation Network on high-profile cases of transborder crime. On that topic, the upcoming meeting of the justice ministers of the region, to be held in June in Kinshasa, will allow us to take stock of the implementation of the Nairobi Declaration on Justice and Good Governance of May 2019 and, certainly, to provide guidance for expediting it.”
2022-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9023 (2022) · source
“As we continue with efforts to promote the economic empowerment of women as a strategy for peacebuilding, my Office, in partnership with the ICGLR Private Sector Forum, UN-Women and the Economic Commission for Africa, co-facilitated in December 2021 the launching of a women entrepreneurs network in the Great Lakes region, and I intend to engage in an ongoing dialogue with regional institutions on their gender policies and to continue supporting that network to ensure that it can make the most of opportunities for regional integration, in particular the broadening of the East African Community with the bringing in of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2022-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9023 (2022) · source
“The fifteenth Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development-International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains is planned for next week and represents an opportunity for us to solicit support upstream in the production chain, in particular major companies, for the region’s efforts to combat the exploitation of and the illicit trade in high-value mineral resources.”
2022-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9023 (2022) · source
“Similarly, so as to follow up on the earlier recommendations that came out of the Khartoum workshop on natural resources, which took place from 31 August to 2 September 2021, I intend to continue in the upcoming weeks my work together with the Executive Secretariat of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region to promote enhanced national and regional ownership of the Regional Initiative on Natural Resources. To fill in that missing link in the chain, political advocacy with the countries in the region, as well as diplomatic involvement with the destination countries for smuggled strategic minerals, will be a priority for us in the months to come.”
2022-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9023 (2022) · source
“Then, together with other guarantor institutions and with the support of MONUSCO, I plan to provide all the support necessary to make sure that there is an effective deployment of the operational unit of the Contact and Coordination Group on non-military measures. I invite the Council to support my appeal to mobilize the resources necessary to attain the goals set. In cooperation with MONUSCO, my Office will also continue providing technical and logistical support to the Nairobi peace process and, if it can help, we will also stand ready to provide our contribution to the efforts to repatriate the disarmed combatants of M23 and the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda, as was already done in 2018. We would recall that that initiative had had non-negligible results in terms of repatriation.”
2022-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9023 (2022) · source