Security Council

6432^nd Meeting (AM)

Renewing Arms Embargo on Democratic Republic of Congo, Security Council Seeks

Mandate Extension for Expert Group Monitoring Related Sanctions

 

Condemning the continuing illicit flow of weapons within and into the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Security Council today renewed until 30 November 2011 the arms embargo and related sanctions on that country, and requested the Secretary-General to extend the mandate of the Group of Experts monitoring those measures.

Unanimously adopting resolution 1952 (2010) under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Council requested the Secretary-General to appoint a sixth expert, on natural resources, and asked the Group of Experts — established under resolution 1533 (2004) — to report back by 18 May and again before 17 October 2011.

Established in 2003, the sanctions regime consists of an arms embargo against armed groups in the country that are not part of the Government’s integrated army or police units, as well as a travel ban and an asset freeze on violators of the embargo and other persons and entities designated by the Sanctions Committee for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as determined in resolutions 1493 (2003), 1596 (2005), 1698 (2006), 1771 (2007), 1807 (2008), 1857 (2008) and 1896 (2009).

Requesting the Group of Experts to concentrate its activities in areas affected by illegal armed groups, including North Kivu, South Kivu and Orientale Provinces, the Council also asked it to focus on regional and international networks providing support for such groups, criminal networks and perpetrators of serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses, including those within the national armed forces, in the eastern part of the country.

The Council supported the Experts’ recommendations on due-diligence guidelines for importers, processing industries and consumers of Congolese mineral products contained in the Group’s final report (document S/2010/596), and to mitigate the risk of further exacerbating the conflict in the east by providing direct or indirect support to illegal armed groups; those found to have violated the asset freeze and travel ban on sanctioned individuals and entities; and criminal networks and perpetrators of serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses, including members of the national armed forces.

Further by the text, the Council recommended that all States, particularly those in the region, regularly publish full import and export statistics for natural resources, including gold, cassiterite, coltan, wolframite, timber and charcoal, and enhance regional cooperation in investigating and combating criminal networks and armed groups involved in the illegal exploitation of natural resources.

The Council called upon the Congolese authorities to continue their fight against impunity, especially against all perpetrators of human rights and international humanitarian law violations, including sexual violence and those committed by any illegal armed groups or elements of the country’s armed forces.

Called to order at 10:15 a.m., the meeting ended at 10:18 a.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 1952 (2010) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Recalling its previous resolutions, in particular resolution 1807 (2008), 1857 (2008) and 1896 (2009), and the statements of its President concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

“Reaffirming its commitment to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well as all States in the region,

“Taking note of the interim and final reports (S/2010/252 and S/2010/596) of the Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (“the Group of Experts”) established pursuant to resolution 1771 (2007) and extended pursuant to resolutions 1807 (2008), 1857 (2008) and 1896 (2009) and of their recommendations, and welcoming the collaboration between the Group of Experts and the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as other Governments in the region and other international forums,

“Reiterating its serious concern regarding the presence of armed groups and militias in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including the provinces of North and South Kivu and Orientale Province, which perpetuate a climate of insecurity in the whole region,

“Demanding that all armed groups, in particular the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), immediately lay down their arms and cease their attacks against the civilian population, demanding also that all the parties to the 23 March 2009 Agreements implement their commitments effectively and in good faith,

“Reiterating its concern about the support received by illegal armed groups operating in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from regional and international networks,

“Condemning the continuing illicit flow of weapons within and into the Democratic Republic of the Congo in violation of resolutions 1533 (2004), 1807 (2008), 1857 (2008) and 1896 (2009), declaring its determination to continue to monitor closely the implementation of the arms embargo and other measures set out by its resolutions concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and stressing the obligation of all States to abide by the notification requirements set out in paragraph 5 of resolution 1807 (2008),

“Recalling the linkage between the illegal exploitation of natural resources, illicit trade in such resources and the proliferation and trafficking of arms as one of the major factors fuelling and exacerbating conflicts in the Great Lakes region of Africa,

“Noting with great concern the persistence of human rights and humanitarian law violations against civilians in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including the killing and displacement of significant numbers of civilians, the recruitment and use of child soldiers, and widespread sexual violence, stressing that the perpetrators must be brought to justice, reiterating its firm condemnation of all violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the country, and recalling all its relevant resolutions on women and peace and security, on children and armed conflict, and on the protection of civilians in armed conflicts,

“Stressing the primary responsibility of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for ensuring security in its territory and protecting its civilians with respect for the rule of law, human rights and international humanitarian law,

“Welcoming the ongoing efforts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the countries of the Great Lakes region to jointly promote peace and stability in the region, in particular in the context of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, and reiterating the importance of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and all governments, particularly those in the region, taking effective steps to ensure that there is no support, in and from their territories, for the armed groups in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

“Supporting the commitment of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to rid the trade in natural resources of criminal networks and welcoming the enhanced collaboration between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Group of Experts in this area,

“Determining that the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security in the region,

“Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

“1.   Decides to renew until 30 November 2011 the measures on arms imposed by paragraph 1 of resolution 1807 (2008) and reaffirms the provisions of paragraphs 2, 3 and 5 of that resolution;

“2.   Decides to renew, for the period specified in paragraph 1 above, the measures on transport imposed by paragraphs 6 and 8 of resolution 1807 (2008) and reaffirms the provisions of paragraph 7 of that resolution;

“3.   Decides to renew, for the period specified in paragraph 1 above, the financial and travel measures imposed by paragraphs 9 and 11 of resolution 1807 (2008) and reaffirms the provisions of paragraphs 10 and 12 of that resolution regarding the individuals and entities referred to in paragraph 4 of resolution 1857 (2008);

“4.   Calls upon all States to implement fully the measures specified in this resolution, and to cooperate fully with the Committee in carrying out its mandate;

“5.   Requests the Secretary-General to extend, for a period expiring on 30 November 2011, the Group of Experts established pursuant to resolution 1533 (2004) and renewed by subsequent resolutions, with the addition of a sixth expert on natural resources issues, and requests the Group of Experts to fulfil its mandate as set out in paragraph 18 of resolution 1807 (2008) and expanded by paragraphs 9 and 10 of resolution 1857 (2008), and to report to the Council in writing, through the Committee, by 18 May 2011 and again before 17 October 2011;

“6.   Requests the Group of Experts to focus its activities in areas affected by the presence of illegal armed groups, including North and South Kivu and Orientale Province, as well as on regional and international networks providing support to illegal armed groups, criminal networks and perpetrators of serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses, including those within the national armed forces, operating in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, requests further that the Group of Experts evaluate the impact of due diligence guidelines referred to in paragraph 7 of this resolution and continue its collaboration with other forums;

“7.   Supports taking forward the Group of Experts’ recommendations on guidelines for due diligence for importers, processing industries and consumers of Congolese mineral products, as set out in paragraphs 356 to 369 in part IX of the final report (S/2010/596), to mitigate the risk of further exacerbating the conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo by providing direct or indirect support to:

-   illegal armed groups, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

-   those found to violate the asset freeze and travel ban on sanctioned individuals and entities, as renewed by paragraph 3 above,

-   criminal networks and perpetrators of serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses, including those within the national armed forces.

“8.   Calls upon all States to take appropriate steps to raise awareness of the due diligence guidelines referred to above, and to urge importers, processing industries and consumers of Congolese mineral products to exercise due diligence by applying the aforementioned guidelines, or equivalent guidelines, containing the following steps as described in the final report (S/2010/596): strengthening company management systems, identifying and assessing supply chain risks, designing and implementing strategies to respond to identified risks, conducting independent audits, and publicly disclosing supply chain due diligence and findings;

“9.   Decides that the Committee, in determining whether to designate an individual or entity supporting the illegal armed groups in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo through illicit trade of natural resources, pursuant to sub paragraph (g) of paragraph 4 of resolution 1857 (2008) should consider, amongst other things, whether the individual or entity has exercised due diligence consistent with the steps set out in paragraph 8;

“10.  Calls upon all States, especially those in the region, to take effective steps to ensure that there is no support, in and from their territories, for the illegal armed groups in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, welcoming the positive international developments in regard to addressing the risks posed by armed group leaders in the diasporas, and calls upon all States to take action, where appropriate, against leaders of the FDLR and other illegal armed groups residing in their countries;

“11.  Encourages the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to continue to take appropriate measures to address the threat of criminal networks within the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) involved in illegal economic activities, such as mining, undermining their capacity to protect civilians in the eastern part of the country;

“12.  Calls upon the Congolese authorities to continue their fight against impunity, especially against all perpetrators of human rights and international humanitarian law violations, including sexual violence, including those committed by any illegal armed groups or elements of the FARDC;

“13.  Encourages the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) to continue to share all relevant information with the Group of Experts, especially information on the recruitment and use of children, and on the targeting of women and children in situations of armed conflicts;

“14.  Reiterates its recommendation to the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to promote stockpile security, accountability and management of arms and ammunition as an urgent priority, with the assistance of international partners as necessary, and to implement a national weapons marking program in line with the standards established by the Nairobi Protocol and the Regional Centre on Small Arms;

“15.  Urges the international community to consider providing increased technical or other assistance to reinforce the Congolese justice institutions and support to strengthen the institutional capacity of the mining, law enforcement and border control agencies and institutions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo;

“16.  Urges MONUSCO to continue supporting the efforts of the Congolese authorities to strengthen their justice system, to consolidate the trading counters in North and South Kivu and to monitor the measures imposed by paragraph 1 above, as mandated in the sub paragraphs (o), (r) and (t) of paragraph 12 of resolution 1925 (2010);

“17.  Encourages enhanced cooperation between all States, particularly those in the region, MONUSCO and the Group of Experts and encourages further that all parties and all States ensure cooperation with the Group of Experts by individuals and entities within their jurisdiction or under their control;

“18.  Reiterates its demand, expressed in paragraph 21 of resolution 1807 (2008) and reaffirmed in paragraph 14 of resolution 1857 (2008) and paragraph 13 of resolution 1896 (2009), that all parties and all States, particularly those in the region, cooperate fully with the work of the Group of Experts, and that they ensure the safety of its members, and unhindered and immediate access, in particular to persons, documents and sites the Group of Experts deems relevant to the execution of its mandate;

“19.  Recommends that all States, particularly those in the region, regularly publish full import and export statistics for natural resources including gold, cassiterite, coltan, wolframite, timber, and charcoal and enhance information sharing and joint action at the regional level to investigate and combat regional criminal networks and armed groups involved in the illegal exploitation of natural resources;

“20.  Calls upon all States, particularly those in the region and those in which individuals and entities designated pursuant to paragraph 3 of this resolution are based, to regularly report to the Committee on the actions they have taken to implement the measures imposed by paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 and recommended in paragraph 8 above;

“21.  Encourages all States to submit to the Committee for inclusion on its list of designees, individuals or entities that meet the criteria set out in paragraph 4 of resolution 1857 (2008), as well as any entities owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the submitted individuals or entities or individuals or entities acting on behalf of or at the direction of the submitted entities;

“22.  Decides that, when appropriate and no later than 30 November 2011, it shall review the measures set forth in this resolution, with a view to adjusting them, as appropriate, in light of the security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in particular progress in security sector reform including the integration of the armed forces and the reform of the national police, and in disarming, demobilizing, repatriating, resettling and reintegrating, as appropriate, Congolese and foreign armed groups;

“23.  Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.”

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For information media • not an official record