MONUSCO/Kevin N. Jordan – MONUSCO soldiers greet each other during a trip to North Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
New York, USA, October 17, 2023 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- In response to the request made by the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for an accelerated withdrawal of the United Nations Mission in this country, MONUSCO, from the end of 2023, the Security Council declared on Monday “ready to decide, by the end of 2023, the future of MONUSCO, its progressive, responsible and sustainable and concrete and realistic measures to be taken as a priority to carry out this withdrawal”.
In a statement by the Presidency of the Council, adopted by the fifteen members, the Council encourages the Congolese government and the UN, within the framework of the joint working group composed of the government, MONUSCO and the UN country team United, to develop “a complete disengagement plan” by November.
It also requests proposals on the chronology of the gradual and orderly withdrawal of MONUSCO contingents; the gradual reduction of the Mission’s staff; the definition of practical arrangements for the gradual transfer of responsibilities; the development of the operational plan for implementing the withdrawal and the definition of the tasks to be accomplished as part of the Mission’s transition.
Dialogue with Rwanda
Regarding the situation at the regional level, the Security Council launched “an appeal for calm and an intensification of dialogue between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to advance lasting peace in the region”.
In its statement, the Council underlines the importance of reaching a political settlement of the current crisis, reaffirms its support for the action taken at the regional level and urges all Congolese armed groups to participate without conditions.
The Council underlines the importance of coordination and complementarity between political and military initiatives implemented in the DRC.
Put an end to any further advances by the M23
With regard to armed groups, the Security Council “demands that any further advances by the M23, targeted by UN sanctions, be halted and that commitments made to withdraw the group from all sectors occupied and its cantonment are immediately and fully implemented.
The Council “condemns the support given to the M23 by any external party” and demands that all these parties put an end to it and immediately withdraw from the DRC.
It also condemns the support given to certain armed groups, such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), targeted by UN sanctions, and demands that it be brought to an end.
The Security Council expresses its deep concern about the information presented in the annual report of the Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo regarding the external military support provided to the M23 and the support also provided to the FDLR by military forces.
It strongly condemns the continued violence and human rights abuses by all armed groups, including summary executions, sexual and gender-based violence and the large-scale recruitment and use of children, and remains gravely concerned by the intensification of misinformation and disinformation.
Facilitate free elections
With regard to the elections which are to take place in December 2023, the Security Council encourages the Congolese authorities to continue to put in place, with the support of MONUSCO, “peaceful, transparent and credible processes” throughout the country to facilitate “free and fair elections and guarantee the full, equal, effective and genuine participation of women, at all stages of this process, both candidates and voters”.
It commits the DRC to guaranteeing “a free civic space and asks all parties to favor dialogue and consensus”.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) for UN Info.
Source : African Media Agency (AMA)