Democratic Republic of the Congo

The United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia condemned the murder of Wilman Asprilla Allim and Ansel Montoya Ibarra, two Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) political party members who were participating in electoral activities in Peque municipality.  The Mission urges all the competent institutions to investigate and prosecute those responsible for this crime.

The United Nations in Myanmar is following with concern the reports of violent clashes between the police and protesters in Rakhine State.  The United Nations Office urges respect for the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, and calls for the security forces and demonstrators to act with restraint.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Kairat Umarov (Kazakhstan):

The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that heavy rains and flooding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo may exacerbate the country’s ongoing cholera epidemic.  The current outbreak, which began in July, is one of the most severe in years.  The latest reports find 55,000 cases, including nearly 1,200 deaths, for 2017 alone — double the number of cases in 2016.

About 83,000 people have been impacted by Tropical Cyclone Ava, with some 29 dead and 22 missing.  The cyclone damaged 17 health centres and affected 141 schools.  It also cut off road access to some south-eastern and south-western parts of the country.  Humanitarian partners are supporting the Government in the provision of sanitation, water and medical supplies, as well as camp management.

Discussing the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo today, Security Council members expressed their concern about the recent protests in the country over the delays in holding presidential elections, as well as violence last December that left 15 United Nations peacekeepers dead and many others wounded.

On 22 December 2017, the Group of Experts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo transmitted its midterm report to the President of the Security Council (S/2017/1091).  The report is currently available on the Committee’s website via the following link: www.un.org/sc/suborg/en/sanctions/1533/work-and-mandate/expert-reports.

The Secretary-General today announced the appointment of Dmitry Titov of the Russian Federation to lead a special investigation into recent attacks on peacekeepers and peacekeeping bases in the Beni territory of North Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo.  This special investigation will include a focus on the 7 December attack in Semuliki, in which 15 Tanzanian peacekeepers were killed, 43 wounded and 1 remains missing.

United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock today approved the largest-ever allocation by the Central Emergency Response Fund — $50 million — to rapidly bolster aid for Yemen.  The humanitarian situation there has deteriorated despite recent progress in opening key Red Sea ports to food and fuel shipments.

The Secretary-General’s envoy in Somalia, Peter de Clercq, expressed deep concern yesterday over reports of the unannounced destruction of settlements housing over 4,000 internally displaced persons and humanitarian infrastructure in Mogadishu.  An assessment was carried out today to establish their immediate needs.