Explanation of vote by Deputy Permanent Representative Anna Evstigneeva on a Draft UNSC Resolution on MONUSCO Mandate Renewal
Mr. President,
The Russian Federation has voted in favor of the French-drafted UNSC resolution to extend the mandate of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
This document is a fruit of complicated compromises following many days of discussions, and it outlines important objectives and benchmarks. This document sets out a trajectory that will enable the Mission to revert to the full-fledged implementation of its mandate and play a significant role in facilitating conflict resolution in the east of the DRC.
Specifically, this concerns participation in monitoring a possible ceasefire regime, which needs to be established in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2773 and on the basis of mutual obligations of the parties under the Doha and Washington agreements.
We expect the UN Secretariat to provide, by 1 March 2026, detailed proposals on the specific modalities of the Mission's engagement in the Ceasefire Oversight and Verification Mechanism agreed within the framework of the Doha process.
On a separate note, we would like to emphasize that, in accordance with the resolution adopted today, a Security Council’s decision to deploy peacekeepers to South Kivu to that end will only be possible following the notification from the Mission leadership that the situation in this province allows for this to be done.
Unfortunately, developments on the ground currently suggest that some parties to the conflict believe that it can be resolved militarily. We are convinced that they are profoundly mistaken. Moreover, by intensifying hostilities directly along the border with Burundi, they are significantly raising risks to themselves.
We call on the parties to halt hostilities, to honor their obligations, and comply with Security Council resolution 2773, which spells out the basic “recipes” for resolving this brutal conflict for millions of residents of both the DRC and other countries in the region to prosper.
The Security Council has said its piece and authorized the Mission to make its contribution, provided that all of this is implemented.
Thank you.
