Statement by Deputy Permanent Representative Anna Evstigneeva at a UNSC Briefing on the DRС
Mr. President,
We wish to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms. Bintou Keita, for her briefing. We welcome the participation of representatives of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda in this meeting.
Almost one month ago, we convened in this chamber during an emergency session, and this owing to an ongoing deterioration situation in the DRC’s eastern provinces and the significant upsurge in the number of civilians killed by illegal armed groups.
Regrettably, despite international efforts to help stabilize the crisis and find a diplomatic solution, the situation on the ground has not improved.
Hostilities have not ceased, the humanitarian crisis is escalating, and civilians in the DRC as well as people from other countries in the Great Lakes region continue to suffer from the consequences of the conflict and atrocities committed by numerous illegal armed groups.
It is with particular concern that we are following the developments in South Kivu, where the city of Uvira, located near the border with Burundi, faces a threat of encirclement and attacks by the M23 group. Further escalation in this area could result in heavy bloodshed, lead to a qualitative deterioration of the humanitarian situation, and undermine the effectiveness of international mediation efforts. We must not allow this to happen.
It is time to cease fire and focus on concrete steps aimed at resolving the crisis and ensuring normal living conditions for civilians throughout the region.
The core principles for this are self-evident and require no reinvention, duplication across new formats, or endless refinement while guns are still firing. They are set forth in Resolution 2773, which this Council unanimously adopted, listed as mutual obligations in the peace agreement signed in Washington on June 27th, and agreed upon through Qatari-led mediation in Doha.
Implementing Resolution 2773 and constructively adhering to political agreements, with due regard for the root concerns of all parties involved, is the only viable alternative to endless bloodshed.
Clearly, an indispensable prerequisite on this path is the termination of all government engagement with illegal armed groups, including both M23 and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). We urge the countries of the region to focus their efforts on jointly combating illegal armed groups. Such cooperation will yield far greater benefits for the civilian population and advance the cause of eradicating banditry on the African continent.
The United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) is one of the key instruments of international assistance for the protection of civilians. We support MONUSCO and its leadership. Nonetheless, recent events have shown that the Mission’s potential to protect civilians is being held hostage by escalating inter-state tensions and the imposed status quo in M23-occupied areas of the DRC. This potential needs to be reanimated or adapted to new realities.
In conclusion, we wish to emphasize yet again that well-being of the population and economic prosperity cannot be built in a climate of mistrust or in open confrontation with neighbors. We are confident that, sooner or later, the parties to the tragic events in eastern DRC will come to realize this, particularly those responsible for making fateful decisions.
Russia will further support the comprehensive settlement process in the region, assist efforts aimed at unblocking the crisis in eastern DRC, and foster mutually beneficial relations with our partners in this part of Africa.
Thank you.
