YouSaid · the spoken record

Kobler

lines on the record: 436
first: 2011-12-06
most recent: 2017-06-07
sittings or episodes: 22
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

“I am also extremely grateful for the close cooperation of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with us, bringing about a peaceful solution. I am also very grateful for the commitment of President Kabila Kabange to resort to joint military action should peaceful means fail. Together we must agree on criteria to assess the credibility of the current disarmament process and converge on a common course of action if it is deemed insufficient. I suggest the following criteria: the number and quality of surrendering combatants and their weapons; the handover to international courts of those who are indicted; the restoration of Government authority over vacated areas; the immediate cessation of human rights violations in the area; the disengagement from illicit economic activities; and the cessation of new recruitment.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“However, the smaller the number of ex-combatants and their dependents in those regroupment camps and the faster they move to more secure areas, the better. The SADC-ICGLR community calls for a three-month review in October. That must be the moment for a serious assessment of the credibility of the disarmament process. It must also be the moment to decide whether to proceed further. I applaud Minister Tshibanda N'Tungamulongo for setting up coordination meetings, bringing together the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, SADC, the ICGLR and MONUSCO. I am confident that the mini-summit in Luanda next week will bring about the necessary decisions to move the process ahead.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“It refuses to give the order to transfer the first groups out of the preliminary camps, preventing any further disarmament. That is a serious signal of non-cooperation. Standing still means we are moving backwards. Experience, however, has shown that only a combination of political and military pressure has led to disarmament and demobilization. I am therefore grateful for the consensus among the SADC and ICGLR members States, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, that the military option remains firmly on the table should the process continue to stall. I am furthermore concerned about the security of those residing in the camps. The FARDC and MONUSCO do their best to provide a secure environment.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“A joint ministerial meeting of the South African Development Community (SADC) and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) held on 2 July in Luanda extended the timeline from 22 days to six months, starting on 2 July. The FDLR interpreted that decision as a call to stall the process. In addition, the perceived absence of military pressure has thrown the process into a freezer. Since 2 July, there has been no movement to the provisional camp in Kisangani, according to the plan of the Government. It is telling that the week after the Luanda decision, the FDLR cancelled three meetings. Since then, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, SADC and MONUSCO have undertaken many missions to convince the FDLR to move forward. Their leadership largely ignored those delegations.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“The plan envisages the regroupment of FDLR combatants in two camps, in North and South Kivu, followed by a quick relocation to a provisional camp in Kisangani - outside the Kivus - until a final solution is found. I made it the Mission's first priority. Overnight, my team mobilized flights, trucks, food, tents, water, mattresses and blankets and prepared the camps in North and South Kivu. Since then, 186 combatants and 430 dependents have voluntarily disarmed. To date, we have provided security, together with the FARDC, as well as medical services, almost 46 special flights and more than 20 tons of food.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“It is time for those who can go back to Rwanda to do so. I do welcome Rwanda's readiness to accept those who go through the DDR process, as it has done with thousands of ex-FDLR combatants before. In January, I told the Council that military pressure would be necessary to lead to disarmament - it has. The FDLR declared its commitment to disarm, but let us admit that it has done so many times before. It is the declared intention of the Congolese Government for the remnants of the FDLR to be resettled outside the Democratic Republic of Congo. On 27 May, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo presented a plan for voluntary disarmament within a period of 22 days and requested MONUSCO's logistical support.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“Both the Force Commander and I have instructed our teams, military and civilian alike, to follow one simple rule when lives are in danger: "Don't ask, act." I call on all troop-contributing countries to join in that robust peacekeeping approach and in this instruction to actively protect civilians. The first priority of the Mission has been to put an end to the FDLR. Since 2002, over 11,000 FDLR combatants in the Democratic Republic of Congo were successfully disarmed, demobilized, repatriated and reintegrated into Rwandan society. The Democratic Republic of the Congo estimates that some 1,500 combatants remain in the country. That is all - 1,500 combatants and their dependents. We are now at the endgame. It is time for those 1,500 to stop the fight. It is time for those sought by justice to be put before the appropriate tribunals.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“I am joined today by the Force Commander, General Dos Santos Cruz. We share the same vision and personal friendship. The Force Commander and I visited Mutarule, and I publicly took responsibility and apologized to the communities. At the same time the United Nations commander of the base in Sange, who failed to act, has been relieved of his duties while an internal investigation is under way. The incident brought to light the need for a paradigm shift in thought and action on the part of United Nations forces - from reaction to prevention, from static to mobile and from a mindset of protection-by-presence to one of protection-by-action.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“I salute the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda for revitalizing their joint border commission, which should lay out a viable road map to delineate that contentious border, which was unfortunately put on ice with the emergence of the M-23. There can be no doubt that the security situation has vastly improved since this time last year. However, conflict persists. The situation is still fragile and not irreversible. Early-warning mechanisms are in place. Still, when a massacre of 33 people occurs, such as in Mutarule on 3 June, we are often slow to react. It is true the National Police and army were close to the place of the massacre and failed to intervene. But MONUSCO troops were also a mere nine kilometres away, but did not leave the base. There must be accountability for inaction.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“The Nairobi declarations clearly stipulate reintegration on an individual basis under the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) scheme. We therefore pay great attention to reports of the return of former M-23 elements across the borders outside the DDR process. I welcome and continue to encourage cooperation among the three Governments to bring this episode to a definite close. Cooperation between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda is crucial to a sustainable peace. The clashes on 11 and 2 June near Kibumba, in which five FARDC soldiers died, highlight the dangers of unclear borders.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“Today, the FDLR appears to be starting to voluntarily disarm, while almost 500,000 internally displaced persons have returned to their homes. In August 2013, we could merely imagine an end to the M-23 conflict, let alone the agreement to disarm, demobilize and reintegrate fighters. But today, thanks to the declarations signed in Nairobi last December, that process is well under way. I applaud the efforts of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to fulfil its Nairobi commitments by enacting the amnesty law and by providing former M-23 combatants in Uganda and Rwanda an opportunity to apply for it. However, the implementation of the Nairobi declarations remains too slow. Ex-combatants and their families continue to live in camps under difficult circumstances.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“There were daily reports of killings, rapes and displacement, which were causing suffering among the population. The Council had just condemned the bloody attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) on Congolese citizens, which forced 66,000 Congolese to flee their homes. Activities by the Forces democratiques de libe'ration du Rwanda (FDLR) in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo were on the rise, with reports of attacks on Rwandan territory as well. Today, through the joint efforts of Congolese military forces and the United Nations force, the M-23 is no more. Today, the Forces arme'es de la Republique democratique du Congo (FARDC), at great cost to its troops, has reduced the ADF to a shadow of its former self. Today, almost 4,000 combatants from a variety of Congolese armed groups have surrendered.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“Those developments were achieved not only by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) or the Democratic Republic of the Congo alone. They are the result of a team effort that was led by a master stateswoman, Special Envoy Mary Robinson. Without her, truly, I could not sit before members today with a positive balance sheet. Working hand-in-glove with this special "Special Envoy" over the past year has been a professional and personal privilege. I deeply regret losing her as my partner in our joint endeavour to see lasting peace in the Great Lakes region. But I equally look forward to working with her successor, Said Djinnit, a man well-versed in the intricacies of African politics. In August 2013, the Mouvement du 23 mars (M-23) was knocking on the gates of Goma.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“Mr. Kobler: First of all, let me take this opportunity to congratulate the United Kingdom on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of August. I would also like to express my gratitude to the United Kingdom as Council President for drawing the attention of the international community to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is nearly five months since I last addressed the Council (see S/PV.7137), and one year since I took up the mantle of Special Representative of the Secretary- General to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Much has changed over those 12 months. Developments have taken place that seemed hard to imagine in August 2013.”
2014-08-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7237 (2014) · source
“(spoke in French) On the eve of the renewal of MONUSCO's mandate, we look to the future hopefully but realistically. I am confident that when the songs of the Congolese youth have replaced the sound of bullets, prosperity will be around the corner. I would like to thank all of the United Nations staff for their daily commitment, in increasingly difficult circumstances, to working for a lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. More specifically, on the twelfth anniversary of Radio Okapi, allow me to express my enormous gratitude to the station's entire staff for their work and commitment. Radio Okapi is a radio station unlike any other. It has become part of daily life for the Congolese and is often their only source of information. Through the airwaves it helps to unify Congolese society.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“I welcome the Government's intention to increase public revenues from natural resources. The legalization and regulation of the exportation and exploitation of minerals is addressing the root causes of the conflict. Despite many difficulties, I sense a spirit of dynamism and hope. That is certainly not a guarantee for success. That spirit, however, places an obligation for all of us in MONUSCO and in the country team to grasp the opportunity - maybe for the first time in many years - to reach a durable solution. However, peace has a price tag. MONUSCO will reduce its budget. Over 300 posts will be cut. I am the first to criticize inefficiencies, reduce duplication, fine-tune management structures. Solid work, however, needs solid resources.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“After decades of conflict between neighbouring countries, contacts at all levels of the region's Governments indicate a new dynamic in the region. Mutual trust is fragile. Confidence-building takes time. Still, investment in crossborder transport infrastructure and economic cooperation will pave the way to regional prosperity. First, I wish to thank the donor community for its financial contribution in helping us upgrade the Goma airport. Turning Goma into an economic hub will boost economic development and foster regional cooperation. I leave it to Special Envoy Mary Robinson to elaborate on the current initiatives to promote private entrepreneurship. Secondly, the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo should be a source of prosperity, not poverty.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“I remain concerned, however, by recent political developments that prevent all political forces from freely moving and campaigning. I therefore urge the Government to respect fundamental rights, such as freedom of speech, expression and assembly, and extend them to all political forces, as provided for by the Congolese Constitution. I have instituted an electoral incidents task force to closely monitor the situation; it will report regularly. On 24 February, we celebrated the first anniversary of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework. The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, Mary Robinson, with whom I continue to enjoy an excellent relationship, will go further into detail on the implementation of the national commitments.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“It is important that its adoption be conducted in a transparent and inclusive manner. Through our good offices we will continue to promote an inclusive dialogue with a view to creating an environment conducive to the holding of credible elections. Respect for the constitutional provisions regarding the elections, in terms of both procedure and calendar, must be upheld. I appeal to the international community to support the Democratic Republic of the Congo on its path to democratic rule. The Council's support is crucial to safeguarding proper democratic principles. Its support is crucial to guaranteeing a vote for every Congolese. Its support is crucial to avoid the errors of the past. I also call upon the opposition to participate constructively, and I urge all political parties to sign the Code of Conduct.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“I strongly encourage the Government to accelerate implementation of key reforms, and I urge donors to assist in financing those reforms. I am particularly concerned by the slow pace of security sector reform despite President Kabila's emphasis in his address to the nation on 23 October 2013 that it was the priority of priorities. We need the Congolese army's rapid reaction force to ultimately take over from the Force Intervention Brigade. Early advances in police reform andjustice reform have also suffered a setback because of insufficient budgetary provisions. In the long term, that prevents us from addressing impunity and poor governance. On the electoral front, the Independent National Electoral Commission presented the National Assembly with a draft road map calling for local, urban and municipal elections in early 2015.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“Continued robust military operations by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and MONUSCO, followed by stabilization efforts, need to be accompanied by consistent reform efforts on the part of the Government. In support of the Government's reform plans, I have set up a coordination group at the ambassadorial level in Kinshasa aimed at harmonization of the positions of the donor community. That coordination group looks at four areas of overarching concern for the United Nations and international partners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - DDR, elections, security sector reform (SSR) and stabilization. Our messages are clear. DDR of former fighters has to happen now. Preparations for the elections have to start now. Concrete progress on SSR has to be delivered now.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“To better support the Government where it is most needed, the Mission is undergoing a transformation into a field mission. We move to the east. Two thirds of all substantive staff in Kinshasa are being deployed to reinforce existing field offices in support of our operations in the east. We have established a permanent civilian presence in Kiwanja, and that will be replicated in other areas. MONUSCO moves nearer to the very people it means to assist. The reconfiguration is not meant to prolong MONUSCO's stay in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On the contrary, it is the first step to an inevitable exit. Our third priority is encouraging the implementation of key reforms in the context of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“The territorial administrator and civil servants have returned, and MONUSCO and the country team are developing projects to rehabilitate police, justice and administrative buildings. The prison of Rutshuru has reopened, and its personnel were trained by MONUSCO. Ownership is crucial. That is why I am glad that the North Kivu authorities identified seven additional pilot projects to turn into islands of stability. But, despite the progress, daunting difficulties remain to be dealt with before we can speak of delivery of full basic public services to people in the region. Although hampered by poor logistics and irregular payment of salary to civil servants, the local Government needs to be practical and focus on what can make a difference to the people.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“Since mid-December, 268 children have been removed from the ranks of armed groups that surrendered to the Congolese army. The youngest was a boy of 10 years of age. Our second priority - the stabilization of freed areas - should lead to the restoration of State authority. The concept of "islands of stability" was a direct answer to quickly embed State authority in post- conflict territories. In my last briefing, I could not report that children were going to school or that the administration was functioning in areas liberated from the M-23. Now I can. I am pleased to report that in Kiwanja Rutshuru the advances have been quite impressive. Police units have been deployed, supported by the United Nations police with tents, rations and fuel.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“Since my last briefing to the Security Council, sexual violence against young girls and women has continued to be a problem. The Mission maintains zero tolerance for sexual terrorism, and MONUSCO, together with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, will publish a thematic report on the fight against impunity for sexual violence in the coming days. We remain engaged in fighting impunity. The trial of those suspected of involvement in the Minova case resumed after interruption. The military court has so far heard testimony from 60 victims of rape and other human rights violations. In support of the Congolese military justice, MONUSCO continued to provide technical and logistical support. There is also zero tolerance for recruiting child soldiers.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“I welcome the recently adopted amnesty law, which rightly precludes perpetrators of gross human rights violations. However, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo needs to take concrete steps rapidly to ensure implementation of the National Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Plan. I urge both the international community and the Government to find solutions as to the structure and financing of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) process. I cannot overestimate the importance of adequate civilian follow-up actions; without them, the military gains will prove to be ephemeral. Given that we cannot tolerate any rollback or undermining of what has been achieved so far, a failure to rapidly implement the DDR Plan would be a serious setback. We cannot allow that to happen.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“The recent redeployment of Egyptian special forces to Katanga and the Uruguayan reaction to the attack of Cheka on Pinga in January demonstrated how a proactive approach can deter attacks on civilians and how all Force components and units can work together in a combined approach. Our motto says it all - One Mandate, One Mission, One Force. The use of force is not a means in itself, however. It is guided by one important principle: politics first. We always strive for a peaceful and voluntary solution. The use of force alone will not achieve sustainable results if not embedded in a political framework. The military success over the M-23 will not be durable if the Nairobi Declarations are not implemented and the ex-combatants now in Uganda and Rwanda not speedily integrated into society.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“Fourteen years of a static approach to the protection of civilians has proven insufficient. The Force needs to be robust, flexible, versatile, highly mobile and well trained - and fully able to deploy across the whole of the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, holding key areas and operating deep in the most inaccessible areas. We need a more active presence in Ituri, South Kivu and Katanga. If we are to enhance our ability to effectively deal with armed groups, the Force as a Whole has to tirelessly pursue them. To that end, the Force is reducing part of its long-term static side and operating bases and is focusing on the use of mobile forces.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“We have been very clear to them: surrender now or you will face the full Force Intervention Brigade. The Government, too, has stepped up its efforts to put an end to the threat that the FDLR poses to the population. I am confident that it will not stop until they have laid down their weapons. Together, we have continued our military operations against the FDLR. After the ADF attacks in December, during which 21 civilians were killed, including 11 babies and young children, the Congolese army launched large-scale operations against ADF positions. With the support of the Force, the Congolese army destroyed the main ADF headquarters and cleared their main axes and routes and is now undertaking operations to flush out the remaining pockets of ADF resistance. To bring our Mission to a good end, the Force, however, has to modernize.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“Security and protection will be our first priority, followed by the stabilization of conflict-affected areas and, thirdly, support for the reform processes and the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. MONUSCO cannot stay in the Congo forever. With the Council's help, we must speedily and consistently work together with our Congolese partners to bring about sustainable peace and start planning to phase out the Mission. The move of much of our civilian personnel to the east is a first step. Thanks to intelligence gathered from different sources, including unarmed unmanned aviation systems, or the so-called unmanned aerial vehicles, ongoing sweeping operations have become better targeted against the FDLR.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“More than 400,000 people have been displaced so far. I saw childrenjust separated from those armed groups, their eyes glazed and empty, their parents killed. They had no home to return to. I decided to reinforce our presence in Katanga. Still, Katanga, like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is a real paradox. It is very rich but also is troubled by extreme poverty. Those two events illustrate the hope and the desperation, the chances and the challenges, the past and the future of the people of the Congo. On the eve of the adoption of a new mandate, MONUSCO's overriding priorities remain the same.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“At the outset, let me describe two events that symbolize where we stand. The first is a good barometer of the progress made, and the second illustrates that much remains to be done to bring peace and security to conflict-affected areas. The Amani music and dance festival for peace, initially scheduled for September 2013, eventually took place in February, thanks to the return of peace to Goma. The festival was a perfect illustration of how culture is capable of bringing people together in peace. More than 11,000 Congolese and Rwandans sang and danced together. After the festival, I visited the so-called triangle of death in Katanga. I saw some of the 80 burned and deserted villages. Mayi-Mayi Bakata Katanga groups have been systematically burning down villages and terrorizing the population.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“The defeat of the militants of the Mouvement du 23 mars (M-23), the joint operations against the Forces democratiques de libe'ration du Rwanda (FDLR) and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and securing the liberated areas are all contributing to the restoration of pockets of stability in order to gradually re-establish State authority in the eastern part of the country. We must now consolidate the gains achieved, while continuing to secure the areas where the armed groups are still active. That means preventing any backsliding by establishing safeguards. It is now up to us to robustly maintain the peace with conviction and perseverance. (spoke in English) There is a new momentum, and we must build on that. Our robust protection stance and the hard-won stability are the foundation upon which peace can be built.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“I would like to start by congratulating Luxembourg on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of March. Two months ago, I briefed the Council on how the hopes that arose in 2013 had began to materialize to the benefit of the Congolese people (see S/PV.7094). Today, I am here to seek the Council's support for another renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in order to bring the Mission to an end. This meeting provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of MONUSCO, in particular its military component. We have achieved a great deal since 2013.”
2014-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7137 (2014) · source
“MONUSCO cannot alone make the journey to peace a comprehensive and lasting success. Together, as one United Nations, and with our national and international partners, we can. (spoke in French) It remains only for me to thank you, Sir, and the entire staff of the United Nations for the commitment they show daily, their tireless determination to work, even in trying conditions, towards lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In particular, I should like to express my great gratitude for the work and commitment of the United Nations Volunteers, who represent more than one third of the international personnel of MONUSCO, its energy and beating heart. (spoke in English) I thank the Council once again for its continued support.”
2014-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7094 (2014) · source
“As I address the Council, MONUSCO staff are being redeployed where they are most needed, in the areas affected by armed conflict in the east. Before July, two thirds of our substantive staff will be active in the Mission's operations in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The east needs more civil affairs officers, human rights experts, police officers, political analysts and engineers - not to win a war, but to win a lasting peace. In the western provinces, antenna offices will exercise reduced monitoring and reporting functions, ensuring MONUSCO's presence throughout the whole Democratic Republic of the Congo, while intending to transfer a large part of programmatic tasks and responsibilities to the country team. The transfer of tasks and responsibilities is a strategic aspect of our reconfiguration.”
2014-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7094 (2014) · source
“I leave it to my partner in peace, Mary Robinson, to elaborate further on that. The demonstration in Goma on 10 January, during which United Nations vehicles were hijacked by demonstrators, revealed that much still has to be done to restore confidence across borders. MONUSCO and I clearly dissociate ourselves from any racist or ethnic undertones of that demonstration. In order to meet the challenges of 2014, MONUSCO needs to adapt. The mandate the Council gave us clearly directs us to bundle our strengths where they are most needed. In Kinshasa, a leaner Mission headquarters will provide a more efficient and focused platform for cooperation at the national level with the Congolese Government, United Nations country team members and other national and international partners.”
2014-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7094 (2014) · source
“At the end of 2014, the local elections should kick start the electoral cycle culminating with the presidential elections of 2016. Peace and prosperity go hand in hand. Turning Goma into an economic hub could be a first step in the right direction. Upgrading its airport and improving road infrastructure will prove to be a decisive turning point for fostering an environment conducive to trade and economic cooperation. That will benefit the population of the entire region. We have submitted proposals to the donor community, and I will continue to lobby for them. Improved and better integrated regional cooperation is a key element for successful and durable peace. It starts with cooperation among the leaders in the region. That is why I travel regularly to Kampala and Kigali. I was there just last week.”
2014-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7094 (2014) · source
“As I outlined at the outset, democratic institutions in the Democratic Republic ofthe Congo remain fragile. On 30 December 2013, a group of attackers mounted a coordinated assault on the buildings of the national radio and television, the Ministry of Defence and the airport in Kinshasa. Simultaneous attacks occurred in Kindu and Lubumbashi. Those were clear warning shots to expedite reforms, including on the rule of law, good governance and decentralization, and to nominate the new Government as announced. On the electoral front, the national budget, which is currently being debated in Parliament, is intended to finance the Independent National Electoral Commission, in the amount of $260 million, of which $40 million is to come from external sources.”
2014-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7094 (2014) · source
“Only regional cooperation and good governance will provide the peace dividend the population is expecting. Let me mention one important priority for 2014. Legalizing and regulating the current exploitation and trade of conflict minerals will substantially increase State revenues and will allow the Government to dispose of greater means to govern. The challenge will be to successfully introduce a system of validation of child-labour-free and conflict-free minerals in accordance with international standards. Congo's natural wealth will thereby help finance the economic and social challenges of the country. Obviously, that has to be done in partnership with the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and of neighbouring States, and the private sector, and with the assistance of the international community.”
2014-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7094 (2014) · source
“They need lasting engagement in order not only to briefly restore but to permanently consolidate State authority in those areas. The United Nations cannot and should not replace State functions. We need the firm and lasting commitment of the Congolese authorities. Thirdly, in line with the country's national commitments, 2014 must be a year of continued reform. I welcome President Kabila's address to the nation in which he reiterated that security sector reform must remain the priority of priorities. The Congolese army and defence reform will be achieved only through a change in mindset and mentality. Peace in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo can be durable only if the root causes of the conflict are addressed. The restitution of State authority alone is not enough.”
2014-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7094 (2014) · source
“I call upon all Member States to support the implementation of the stabilization strategy by funding stabilization programmes, including the islands of stability. To that end, the islands of stability are not just a concept. They are areas in which men and women can go to their fields and to the market without fearing being robbed, raped or kidnapped. But, let us be frank - they are not yet territories in which children go to school, the police offer reliable protection, the administration fully functions and women can give birth without risks. The islands of stability need the full redeployment of regularly paid civil servants, security and law enforcement agents, social and medical service providers in order to resume the delivery ofbasic public administration and services to the population.”
2014-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7094 (2014) · source
“In the meantime, around 8,000 combatants have surrendered. That is a good development and we encourage defections. Those who have surrendered - plus the M-23 ex-combatants in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Rwanda - have to be reintegrated into society. The DDR process, however, is still much too slow. Secondly, force is not the only solution. The civilian component of the Mission is stepping up. The stabilization of areas liberated from the control of armed groups is essential. Our new stabilization support plan has been presented to the Government and to all our international partners. That guiding framework brings the Government, MONUSCO, United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations together.”
2014-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7094 (2014) · source
“I am encouraged by the fact that the amnesty law submitted to Parliament, as promised in Nairobi, will exempt the perpetrators of gross human rights Violations from amnesty. I am glad to announce that, at a Cabinet meeting held on 26 December, the Congolese Government adopted the third national plan for DDR. It also introduced an amnesty law to Parliament, paving the way for the return of ex-combatants having taken refuge abroad. However, I appeal to the Government to expedite the implementation of its DDR plan so as to allow those combatants who have laid down their arms to reintegrate into civilian life. As demonstrated in the past months, our strategy remains that of neutralizing the threat by our military presence, on the one hand, and stimulating voluntary disarmament, on the other.”
2014-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7094 (2014) · source
“That is only the tip of the iceberg. Their childhood is destroyed; their future is brutally burdened. We cannot and should not remain silent and passive. That is the very reason the Council sent us to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. After the security incidents of 30 December in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi, renewed abuses of human rights in Ituri and Katanga were recorded as having been committed both by armed groups and by national security forces. There is zero tolerance in particular for sexual violence and violence against children in conflict. We must stand side by side with the Congolese authorities and the Congolese people to ensure that all the perpetrators are held accountable and brought to justice.”
2014-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7094 (2014) · source
“For example, on 13 December in an ADF-controlled area, 21 bodies, including those of eight babies, very young children and pregnant women, were found dead, mutilated and some beheaded. Three of the children were reportedly raped before being murdered. I visited ADP-controlled areas during the past few days. ADF continues to spread terror and horror. On 23 December, it attacked Congolese forces in Kamango and Ituri near the Ugandan border. With the help of the Force Intervention Brigade, order could be restored. Military actions against the ADF are expected soon. In 2013, 151 children, including babies caught in cross-fire and primary school students summarily executed, were killed or maimed as a result of conflict- related Violence; 206 underage girls were documented by MONUSCO as having been raped by parties to the conflict.”
2014-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7094 (2014) · source
“I encourage the Congolese forces to do more and to intensify the joint planning and execution of operations against the FDLR. However, remaining realistic, it will be difficult to eliminate the FDLR completely by military actions alone. Through military pressure, the FDLR must be left with no choice but to come out of the bush. Its leadership must be left with no choice other than to surrender. Its racist ideology must be left with no choice than to disappear. That is the clear message for 2014, the year we commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) still terrorizes civilians in Ituri and north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2014-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7094 (2014) · source
“In full support of the Congolese Government and to fulfil its mandated responsibilities, MONUSCO has reoriented and streamlined its priorities along three main axes: security and protection, the stabilization of conflict affected areas and the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. I will now talk along those three lines. First, with regard to security and protection, the presence of armed groups is still strong - too strong. We need to keep the momentum. First operations against the Forces democratiques de liberation du Rwanda (FDLR) have cleared some positions. Further operations are being shaped. Operations can be successful, however, only if done jointly with the Congolese army.”
2014-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7094 (2014) · source
“There are also credible reports ofemerging M-23 activities in Ituri in north-eastern Congo. I call upon the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to implement the Nairobi declarations and expedite the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) ofM-23 ex-combatants. At the same time, I call upon the Governments of Uganda and Rwanda to do everything possible to prevent M-23 elements from sheltering or training troops on their territory. We should tolerate not a military re-emergence of the M-23.”
2014-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7094 (2014) · source
“With the Force Intervention Brigade and our unmanned aerial vehicles, all armed groups are aware now that we have the will and means to take robust action at any time. In the coming weeks, we will finalize the review of our military deployment across eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. We will then have a more flexible Force. We need it to be more agile and ready to deploy when it is needed and where civilians are threatened. That is the Force's new paradigm. Our rules of engagement are clear. Our mandate is clear. Our determination is clear. After the military defeat of the M-23, it now is important to implement the Nairobi declarations. There are credible reports that the military recruitment of the M-23 did not cease after the Nairobi declarations were signed.”
2014-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7094 (2014) · source