PRESS RELEASE : The recent ceasefire is an opportunity to ensure peace prevails in the Democratic Republic of the Congo [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 December 2022.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council briefing on MONUSCO.

Thank you President,

Let me begin by thanking all our briefers today and I welcome Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Lutundula to our meeting.

President, I will focus my intervention on the situation in eastern DRC, regional efforts, MONUSCO and sanctions.

President, the UK remains deeply concerned by the security situation in eastern DRC, in particular increased armed group violence. We strongly condemn the attack by M23 in Kishishe that killed 131 civilians, as confirmed by the UN Joint Human Rights Office and MONUSCO.

We take note of M23’s statement indicating their willingness to withdraw from their current positions. We call on them to do so immediately and to uphold the Luanda ceasefire.

We also urge the Government, with the support of MONUSCO, to use all necessary measures, to prevent further M23 advances, including towards Goma.

The humanitarian toll of this violence has been devastating, and in this regard, we urge all actors to ensure assistance reaches affected people, including the 1.29 million newly displaced this year.

President, the UK reiterates our full support for the Nairobi and Luanda political processes. We are delighted to announce UK funding to support the East African Community led Nairobi Process.

We encourage continued dialogue through this and for Congolese armed groups to participate in the Nairobi process. We welcome the recently agreed ceasefire in Luanda and urge all parties to uphold their commitments to ensure peace prevails.

All support to armed groups must stop, including external support to M23. We call on countries in the region to use all means available to them to urge an immediate ceasefire of hostilities and immediate resumption of consultations on concrete steps to deescalate current tensions.

President, I welcome the information shared by EAC Secretary-General Mathuki today. Both the EAC Force and DRC Armed Forces must substantively engage with MONUSCO on de-confliction of operations to ensure the protection of civilians, as well as the safety and security of peacekeepers and the effective implementation of MONUSCO’s mandate.

The UK fully supports the work of MONUSCO and commends the Mission, and SRSG Keita, for their continued efforts in increasingly challenging circumstances.

We remain deeply concerned by the widespread anti-MONUSCO sentiment in DRC, which undermines the mission’s ability to implement its mandate. We encourage the Government of DRC to engage in a structured dialogue with MONUSCO to clarify roles and responsibilities for a responsible, conditions-based drawdown of MONUSCO.

Let me conclude by welcoming the cooperation extended by the DRC, Rwanda and Uganda to the DRC Sanctions Committee during its recent visit to the region. It is regrettable that Russia has blocked the SRSG for Sexual Violence in Conflict from briefing the DRC Sanctions Committee, particularly given that this a significant problem in the DRC and one that the Government is committed to working with the international community to tackle.

Thank you.