Press Statement on Democratic Republic of Congo

 

The following Security Council press statement was issued on 24 February by Council President Kim Sook ( Republic of Korea):

The members of the Security Council welcome the signing in Addis Ababa on 24 February 2013 of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region, under the auspices of the guarantors of the Framework, namely the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Chairperson of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region.

The members of the Security Council commend the Secretary-General for his personal diplomatic engagement and the leaders of the region for their commitment to address through dialogue and cooperation the challenges the Democratic Republic of Congo and countries of the region are facing.

The members of the Security Council call on the signatory States of the Framework to fully implement their commitments in good faith, and call on the Secretary-General of the United Nations to keep them regularly informed of the implementation of the Framework and of any breaches of the commitments contained therein.  The members of the Security Council support the swift designation of a United Nations Special Envoy to support, coordinate and assess national and regional efforts for the implementation of the Framework, including through the establishment of benchmarks and appropriate follow-up measures.

The members of the Security Council remain deeply concerned by the worsening security and humanitarian situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.  They reiterate their demand that the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23) cease immediately attempts to establish an illegitimate parallel administration and that the M23, the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) and all other armed groups cease immediately all forms of violence and destabilizing activities.  They call on the relevant institutions to ensure that all human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law are investigated and that perpetrators are held accountable for their crimes.

The members of the Security Council continue to commend the ongoing efforts of the Secretary-General, as well as of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, SADC and the African Union, to restore peace and security in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and the region.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record