Statement by Deputy Permanent Representative Anna Evstigneeva at a UNSC Briefing on the Democratic Republic of the Congo
We welcome Vivian van de Perre, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, and we wish to thank her for the briefing. We also welcome the participation of the representative of Rwanda in our meeting.
We have to acknowledge that, despite the fact that 2025 saw a number of agreements reached with extraregional mediation to achieve peace in the east of Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the situation on the ground has not improved. There is no talk whatsoever about any truce or a ceasefire.
Quite the contrary, since the beginning of this year, we have been witnessing a situation that is the opposite of what the parties once agreed upon among themselves in Doha and Washington. Not only are the hostilities not over, but they are rather leading to an evolution of the conflict and qualitative changes in its military nature. In particular, what is becoming more pronounced is the use of strike drones.
A drone strike in Goma on March 11 killed a UNICEF staff member and, reportedly, two civilians as well. We extend our heartfelt condolences on their deaths. We do hope that the Government of the DRC will take all necessary measures to investigate the circumstances of what transpired and bring those responsible to justice.
This high-profile case is just one of many other manifestations of the fact that it is unarmed civilians who bear the brunt of the armed conflict in the east of the DRC. It is civilians who die every day, fall victim to sexual violence, or suffer from the humanitarian consequences of hostilities. A question here – How long is this going to last? And it is, first and foremost, for the parties to the conflict to answer this question.
Both Rwanda and the DRC must implement the demands contained in UNSC resolution 2773, namely to cease hostilities and stop supporting illegal armed groups.
The main responsibility for upholding the commitments made lies primarily with the parties to the conflict. However, as is well known, a share of responsibility is also to be borne by intermediaries. And we do hope that they will make additional efforts to ensure that the agreements signed through their mediation are indeed enforced.
It is clear that the above, as well as steadily advancing towards a lasting settlement, is impossible without the active involvement of African diplomacy. And here we commend the efforts undertaken by the President of the Council of Ministers of Togo, Mr. Faure Gnassingbé, who is acting as chief mediator on behalf of the African Union. We also welcome the peace-making initiatives of Angolan President João Lourenço. We believe that it is precisely balanced African solutions that can create the conditions for addressing the root causes of the conflict.
At the same time, we assume that there is a need for clear coordination of all mediation efforts. And we believe that duplication of regional and extracontinental efforts may lower their overall effectiveness.
We are closely following the launch of the Ceasefire Monitoring and Verification Mechanism agreed upon in Doha, which is developed on the basis of a similar structure, namely the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region. UN peacekeepers are set to play a significant role in the operation thereof. What is of fundamental importance here is that the assistance provided to the Mechanism by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) remain fully in line with the Mission’s mandate, as set forth in Security Council Resolution 2808.
We have taken note of the Secretary-General’s letter containing proposals regarding the further parameters for expanding the involvement of MONUSCO. It is important to note here that our colleagues at the UN have stated in black and white that, for the Mission to increase its participation in the work of the Doha Monitoring Mechanism, the parties to the conflict must implement their obligations in practice, which so far remain “on paper” only. We thank the Secretariat for the professionally compiled information and balanced analysis.
Given how the situation is unfolding, it is quite clear that “right now” the conditions for this are not ripe. Moreover, under the current circumstances, discussing further adaptation to the MONUSCO mandate would not only be counterproductive but also dangerous. Otherwise, the death of a UNICEF staff member will not be the last fatal case involving UN personnel and peacekeepers.
What is needed here is a careful and flexible approach. Any significant changes to the Mission’s mandate must take into account the actual situation on the ground. This applies, in particular, to the possible deployment of peacekeepers in South Kivu, which would require a separate Security Council decision.
For our part, as a permanent member of the Council, we will continue to facilitate the development of a constructive dialogue among all States of the Great Lakes Region in order to find balanced and lasting solutions.
Thank you.
