Security Council Press Statement on Situation in Democratic Republic of Congo

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Vassily A. Nebenzia (Russian Federation):

The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the attacks by Coopérative pour le développement du Congo (CODECO) militias on the Savo camp for internally displaced persons in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on 1 February 2022, which left at least 58 civilians dead and more than 40 injured.

They stressed the need for the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to conduct a thorough and prompt investigation into these attacks in order to ensure that those responsible are held to account.

The members of the Security Council expressed concern at the continuing intercommunal violence and at the increase of armed group activity in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  They reiterated their condemnation of all armed groups operating in the country, called on all actors to end violence and their violations and abuse of international human rights and international humanitarian law.

They recalled that drivers behind different armed groups’ activities are varied and that there is no purely military solution to the problem of armed groups and emphasized the need for comprehensive military and civil responses to these armed groups.

The members of the Security Council further expressed concern at the current humanitarian situation, marked by a significant increase in the number of people in need of protection and humanitarian assistance.  They called on the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to address the underlying drivers of the current humanitarian situation and on partners to step up their support to the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in tackling these challenges.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their support to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and called on all parties to cooperate fully with the Mission and to remain committed to the full and objective implementation of the Mission’s mandate.