Statement by First Deputy Permanent Representative Dmitry Polyanskiy at the UN Security Council meeting on the Great Lakes Region
Distinguished Mr.President,
At the outset let me thank Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region Huang Xia for his detailed first briefing.
We proceed from the assumption that the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region remains a cornerstone of regional stability.
We advocate for unconditional compliance by all the signees with the commitments they have taken, including respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference in the internal affairs, enhancement of confidence-building measures, fostering of regional cooperation and economic integration. We are convinced that full implementation of the Framework’s provisions will have a positive impact on the overall situation with security in the Great Lakes Region.
The most important factor of ensuring security is the situation in DR Congo. Today we witness crucial changes in the life of this major State in Central Africa that have already touched upon the whole region. We welcome the efforts President Tshisekedi takes to achieve political stabilization, i.a. through establishing constructive relations with neighbors. We commend summits that took place in May-August in Kinshasa and Luanda with participation of regional heads of States and resulted in a number of decisions to promote security in the Great Lakes Region. We have noted the essential Memorandum of Understanding that Presidents of Rwanda and Uganda signed in Luanda in August. We cannot fail to point out the first meeting of security service representatives of States of the region that was held in Kinshasa in June with participation of the Office of the Special Envoy.
Mr.President,
We remain seriously concerned about the state of affairs in eastern provinces of DR Congo that are still having a complicated military and political situation, unstopping activity of illegal armed formations, inter-communal clashes, and an ongoing epidemic of Ebola. Against this backdrop, we welcome the results that military forces of DR Congo could achieve together with MONUSCO in fighting some of the armed groups. We call to avail of the positive changes in the region and enhance efforts to eliminate militants, foster the processes of their disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration in peaceful life. We deem it extremely important to solve the problem of “Allied Democratic Forces”.
We share concerns the Secretary-General expressed regarding the uneasy humanitarian situation in GLR. At the same time, we note progress in resolving the problem of refugees. In particular, we note the ongoing repatriation of Burundi refugees from adjacent States that takes place against stabilization of the situation in their homeland.
We welcome measures taken in the framework of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (IC/GLR) that aim to harmonize national repatriation and integration strategies for refugees, and to eradicate the root causes of this phenomenon. Such efforts prove that regionals are committed to engage in collective search for response to GLR challenges.
We expect that controversies that leaders of some countries still have will not affect their commitment to the principles embodied in the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework. We call upon States of the region to settle disputes and continue cooperation on key issues that have to do with stability and security of the Great Lakes Region. We proceed from the assumption that sustainable solutions to the existing problems can only be found within the region. They should rest on IC/GLC and other regional mechanisms in accordance with the principle “African solutions to African problems”.
Thank you.
