S/PV.10136 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Angola and Rwanda to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Mr. Xia Huang, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region of Africa; and Ms. Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director, UN-Women. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2026/256, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. I now give the floor to Mr. Xia Huang.

I am grateful for the opportunity to inform the Council about recent developments in the situation in the Great Lakes region. I would have liked to have been the bearer of good news about the state of the crisis which continues to rock the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region. Alas, that is not the case, because since my briefing in October 2025 (see S/PV.10016), while the region saw a marked upsurge in diplomatic initiatives in October 2025, the security and humanitarian situation has deteriorated in alarming fashion. The unabated erosion of trust among actors of the region accounts in part for the persistent chasm between the political commitments and the situation on the ground. That gap now remains our main collective challenge to overcome. As regards the diplomatic initiatives, the Washington and Doha processes and African efforts have opened new windows of opportunity. The signing of the Washington Peace Agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda on 4 December 2025 was a significant step. Nonetheless, the fleeting capture of Uvira by the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23) days later dealt a heavy blow to civilians and regional relations. I welcome the resumption of negotiations in Washington on 17 and 18 March, which enabled concrete measures to be adopted, in particular the identification of certain areas of operations of the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR). During my most recent tour of the region, shortly before I arrived in New York, the Congolese authorities informed me that operations against the FDLR were being mounted and that an outreach campaign was also under way to offer combatants the opportunity to surrender voluntarily. The Congolese authorities and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) have also observed M23 troops withdrawing from certain positions. In Doha, two significant strides were taken: the establishment of the Ceasefire Oversight and Verification Mechanism and the adoption of the terms of reference of the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus (EJVM+). I commend the resumption, this week, of the Doha talks between representatives of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and those of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC)/M23, co-facilitated by Qatar and the United States of America, with the support of Switzerland, which is hosting negotiations. It is my hope that this renewed momentum will help to accelerate the implementation of the protocol on the Ceasefire Oversight and Verification Mechanism and that of the six protocols that are still pending under the Doha Framework for a Comprehensive Peace Agreement. At the continental level, I am delighted that African efforts have intensified under the leadership of the African Union mediator. Indeed, the meeting in Lomé on 17 January confirmed the central role of Togolese mediation. Together with the panel of facilitators, the mediator has stepped up consultations in the capitals of the region — an essential step towards consolidating the peace processes. Despite these efforts, the violence has taken on a new dimension, marked by the increasing use of advanced military technology: drone strikes, GPS jamming and spoofing, and aerial bombardments. The tragic death of a UNICEF staff member on 11 March in Goma serves as a painful reminder of this. The human toll of this protracted crisis remains unsustainable. Several million people remain displaced and food-insecure, with an increase in sexual violence, attacks on humanitarian workers and the destruction of essential infrastructure. In addition, there has been a worrisome rise in hate speech and identity-based polarization, sometimes exploited for political ends, which fuels cycles of reprisal and exacerbates social fragmentation. This situation threatens to transform an already serious security crisis into an even more devastating community-based conflict. These dynamics are also exacerbating regional tensions between certain countries in the region. In view of these worrisome trends, I have stepped up my good offices. I travelled to Lomé, Addis Ababa and Doha to offer my Office’s support for mediation efforts, to advocate for greater coherence between international and African initiatives and to mobilize more targeted support for peace processes. In Uganda, I consulted with the authorities in the context of their current chairpersonship of the Regional Oversight Mechanism for the Addis Ababa framework agreement, with a view to promoting regional convergence on de-escalation measures. In this context, I express my support for the conclusions regarding the strengthening of complementarity and coherence in efforts, which emerged from the ad hoc summit convened on 21 December 2025 by President Museveni. My Office has also stepped up its support for long-term stabilization efforts, including by sponsoring a high-level workshop on combating the illegal exploitation of natural resources, drawing on lessons from the Kimberley Process, and by strengthening the participation of women and young people in peace processes, in accordance with resolutions 1325 (2000) and 2250 (2015). Furthermore, with the facilitation of my Office, the member States of the Contact and Coordination Group have developed standard operating procedures for the disarmament, demobilization, repatriation and reintegration of foreign armed groups. These standard operating procedures seek to harmonize non-military approaches and will be endorsed at a ministerial meeting scheduled for June. I am also delighted by the close cooperation between my Office, the African Union, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the relevant agencies of the United Nations system on the implementation of the United Nations Strategy for Peace Consolidation, Conflict Prevention and Conflict Resolution in the Great Lakes Region, particularly with regard to the youth, peace and security pillar and the refugee issue. This dynamic was evident on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of resolution 2250 (2015). My Office, the United Nations Population Fund, the United Nations Development Programme and UNICEF jointly supported the work of youth organizations that are involved in peacebuilding in the region and the organization of a youth conference on the theme “Ten Years of UNSCR 2250: Reflections and Renewed Commitments for Africa”, in partnership with the ICGLR and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. My Office also worked with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the European Union to organize a regional ministerial conference from 16 to 18 March, focusing on comprehensive solutions for Burundian refugees. The conference brought together Governments from the region — South Africa, Burundi, Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda, Rwanda, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia — along with regional economic communities and a number of partners. It is regrettable that the commitments made in the Washington and Doha processes have not yet fully translated into sufficient action on the ground. The risk of a slide towards regional confrontation remains very real. The Council must not allow a cycle of violence, which it has been examining for far too long, to repeat itself. The full implementation of resolutions 2773 (2025) and 2808 (2025) is urgent. In this context, the Council’s support is essential to demand concrete progress from the parties. The immediate priority is the establishment of an effective, verifiable and fully observed ceasefire. Its credibility depends on the full operationalization of the Ceasefire Oversight and Verification Mechanism and the EJVM+, the monitoring, verification and reporting functions of which are essential to start the process of deescalation. The resumption of negotiations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the AFC/M23 presents a significant opportunity to better define the terms of effective operational cooperation between the parties with a view to ensuring full compliance with the ceasefire. Furthermore, it is essential for the Council to redouble the efforts with the parties to secure the opening and safeguarding of humanitarian corridors, guaranteeing safe, rapid and unimpeded access to populations in distress. On the political front, it is imperative to tackle this crisis while remaining mindful of its regional and historical dimensions. It is a crisis that is centred in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo but that, for more than 30 years, has been characterized by a complex web of closely intertwined and competing political, economic and social interests at the national level and especially at the regional level. It is against this backdrop that my Office has been entrusted with a regional mandate that complements MONUSCO’s national mandate. Indeed, the situation on the ground and the persistent mistrust among the countries continue today to underpin the relevance of this regional mandate in addressing the root causes of the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is equally crucial to support the mediation led by Togo and the work of the Panel of Facilitators. On 27 March, before coming here, I met with the African Union mediator. It is imperative that we provide him with steadfast political, technical and financial support in order to promote high-level political dialogue among leaders and to strengthen the mediation initiatives being conducted in Washington, D.C., and Doha. While efforts must naturally focus on the agreements already signed, including the Addis Ababa Framework Agreement, rebuilding trust among regional leaders remains essential to the longevity of any agreement. I urge the Security Council to support these trust-restoration initiatives — a prerequisite for verifiable and lasting peace. Lastly, to address the root causes of the conflict, the revitalization of the Addis Ababa Framework Agreement remains essential. In this regard, I welcome the fact that the South African authorities, whom I had the opportunity to meet recently in Pretoria, are committed to continuing these revitalization efforts under South Africa’s chairmanship of the Regional Oversight Mechanism, starting in 2027. This will be a fresh opportunity to strengthen regional momentum towards lasting peace. Allow me to conclude with an appeal to the parties: no resolution, no mediation, no verification mechanism will be able to succeed if the parties directly concerned do not choose the path of peace. I therefore call on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and all relevant actors, in particular the AFC/M23, to resume frank dialogue, immediately reduce tensions and ensure the effective implementation of all their commitments without delay.

I thank Mr. Xia for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Bahous. Ms. Bahous: My thanks go to the Permanent Representative, His Excellency Ambassador Jamal Fares Alrowaiei, and the Mission of the Kingdom of Bahrain for convening this meeting and for the kind invitation. My thanks also go to Special Envoy Xia Huang for his briefing and for our excellent collaboration on women and peace and security and in making women’s priorities and leadership central to prevention, peacebuilding and regional stability. The opportunities presented by women’s leadership for peace in the Great Lakes region are unique and transformative and give us hope. I remind us that the Security Council’s first resolution on women and peace and security in 2000 (resolution 1325 (2000)) was in part inspired by Nelson Mandela’s support for Burundian women in playing their rightful part in ending the civil war in their country. Their proposals, ideas and energies suffused the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement for Burundi. The war ended. Burundi today boasts one of the highest percentages of women’s representation in politics in its region, alongside thousands of women mediators working at the local level, preventing small conflicts from becoming bigger ones. UN-Women is proud to support such efforts. In the Karamoja region of Uganda, for example, women lead cross-border dialogues to prevent conflict and build peace. In Uganda, also, women’s representation in certain district and subcounty peace committees has nearly tripled, from 17 per cent in 2022 to 46 per cent in 2025. Twenty-one districts now have local action plans on women and peace and security, 16 of which were supported directly by UN-Women. Peace in this region, as we have heard, hinges on the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will only be secured when women are treated not as collateral victims and their bodies as spoils of war but as empowered agents of stability, accountability and peace. Without safety, women cannot lead, and without their leadership, peace and recovery efforts fail. The same applies across the broader region. The Great Lakes region offers fertile ground for women’s leadership in peace and security, with some of the highest percentages of women’s representation in politics in the world: 11 out of 12 countries of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region have national action plans on women and peace and security. The new regional action plan 2026–2030 focuses on integrating women into peacebuilding and addressing gender-based violence, including in digital spaces. The regional gender barometer monitors gender equality efforts in the region, and there is the Advisory Board for Women, Peace and Security in the Great Lakes Region. I thank the Special Envoy for his collaboration and efforts in turning this platform into a mechanism that can link the efforts of women at the grass-roots level with high-level diplomacy. The soon-to-be adopted African Union Commission framework will enforce a minimum 30 per cent women’s representation in mediation led by the African Union (AU), based on the mandate outlined by the Peace and Security Council of the African Union. UN-Women applauds this groundbreaking initiative and calls on other multilateral bodies to follow their lead. Specifically in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite the conflict, we see a positive trajectory for women’s representation in politics, including senior leadership, and we see where that can lead. It can lead to greater accountability for gender-based violence and crimes, with hundreds of members of rebel groups and the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s own Armed Forces put on trial for sexual violence, ensuring that women, albeit still in small numbers, receive the justice they deserve. The space is there. The potential rewards are game-changing. So, I have three asks of members today. First, I ask that members lend their voice ever more to calls for the equal representation of women in peacemaking efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the broader region. More women in parliament or cabinets is positive but does not guarantee meaningful representation in peace and security decision-making. While two of the five facilitators of the AU-led process are women, the Peace Agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda is silent on women, gender-related issues and even the sexual violence that has been both hallmark and driver of conflict. UN-Women has supported Congolese women’s advocacy, but without the Security Council’s support, they will remain on the outside looking in. Secondly, I ask that members protect the peacekeeping Mission, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), and its critical mandate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I ask them to recall the hundreds of trials against perpetrators of conflict-related sexual violence, the women activists and human rights defenders who have enjoyed MONUSCO’s protection, the women supported in their crucial work in local peace efforts between the Hema and the Lendu in Ituri and also that peacekeepers tailor their patrols to specific alerts received from local women and have opened their bases to protect displaced women at imminent risk. Now, I ask members to consider what removing this means. I ask them to consider the 60 per cent of women human rights defenders in North Kivu reporting ongoing direct threats, the reports from Médicins sans frontières of 28,000 victims of sexual and gender-based violence in the first half of last year and that the Mission currently has no senior women’s protection adviser and a weakened gender unit. MONUSCO, but more importantly those civilian women and girls, men and boys it serves, deserve much better. Thirdly, I ask Council members to support women-led and youth-led civil society organizations and to protect civic space. Women’s organizations and youth are crucial but unappreciated front-line peacebuilding actors. They also represent a critical defence against democratic erosion, which can lead to more conflict. In this region, as much as any, despite high proportions of women in politics, perhaps even, in part, in pushback to that, we see precisely that democratic erosion, narrowing space for civil society and human rights. Despite this, we are far from meeting the needs. We could empower thousands of women peace actors across the Great Lakes at a fraction of the cost of military spending, for vastly better results. The Security Council could make the difference to unlocking the necessary support and offering protection in and of itself. Let me just add that my asks are neither impractical nor beyond what the Council can do. We owe the women of the Great Lakes region — those determined, inspiring women who work tirelessly today for peace tomorrow — and we owe them our best. The opportunity is there, the path to seizing it clear. I urge us all to walk that path together, now, and to commit to gender-equality and women’s leadership, so that this region can finally find peace.

I thank Ms. Bahous for her briefing. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements.

I would like to begin by thanking the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, Mr. Xia Huang, and the Executive Director of UN-Women, Ms. Sima Bahous, for their briefings. It is clear, first and foremost, that diplomatic progress has still not been reflected on the ground: people continue to fall victim to armed groups in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, resulting in a catastrophic humanitarian situation. It is also clear that the place of women must not be overlooked in peace efforts. This is because women bear the brunt of this conflict, particularly owing to the sexual violence used as a weapon of war by armed groups, because women play a decisive role in addressing the root causes of the conflict, whether through the demobilization of armed groups, community reconciliation or economic stabilization, and because the fight against impunity, the protection of women’s rights and support for victims are central to this process. In line with its commitments under the women and peace and security agenda, France calls for greater participation by women in peace processes and welcomes the efforts made in this regard, particularly within the framework of the African Union’s facilitation. I would like to emphasize two points. First, we must continue to support the mediators’ efforts. France reiterates its full support for the African Union’s commitment, the Togolese mediation and the efforts of the United States and Qatar, which are currently facilitating the resumption of talks in Switzerland. Resolution 2773 (2025), adopted unanimously by the Council, sets out the framework for these joint efforts. It calls on the Mouvement du 23 mars to cease its offensive, calls on the Rwanda Defence Force to withdraw from Congolese territory and calls on the Democratic Republic of the Congo to neutralize the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda. The Council must ensure that the parties respect their obligations and commitments and implement them without delay. The mediators’ efforts are in line with those of the United Nations. In addition to its primary function of protecting civilians, the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has been expanded to support peace efforts and contribute to the implementation of a permanent ceasefire. The Mission must be able to carry out its mandate without hindrance. The Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa is working to encourage regional cooperation, whether regarding the repatriation of foreign combatants or the transparent management of natural resources. Secondly, the resumption of talks must result in concrete commitments from the parties regarding the ceasefire and the humanitarian situation. We will be vigilant in ensuring that the parties commit in good faith to establishing an effective, verifiable and permanent ceasefire and to concluding the humanitarian protocol. We must also step up efforts to resume humanitarian flights via Goma airport, in line with the commitment made in Paris on 30 October 2025 and following the flight undertaken by the Deputy Head of MONUSCO, Ms. Vivian van de Perre, on 12 February. The illusion of a military solution must give way to a lasting political solution. This will require an end to all hate speech that jeopardizes the safety of civilians and progress in the inter-Congolese dialogue. In this regard, we welcome the consultations initiated by Angola. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate two fundamental points: respect for the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is nonnegotiable, and we must combat impunity for violations of human rights and international humanitarian law and hold the perpetrators to account. The Council must remain engaged in supporting peace efforts and holding to account those who are fuelling the destabilization of the region.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the African members of the Security Council (A3), namely the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia and my own country, Liberia. We thank the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region of Africa for his insightful briefing and sustained engagement. We also thank the Executive Director of UN-Women for grounding our discussion in the lived realities of those most affected by this conflict. We take note of the Secretary- General’s report (S/2026/256) on the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework, submitted pursuant to resolution 2808 (2025), and we certainly welcome warmly the presence of colleagues and distinguished representatives from the Great Lakes region. As African members of the Council, the A3 is clear-eyed about one fundamental truth: there can be no peace in Africa while the Great Lakes region remains unstable. African leaders, as we have just heard, have stepped up and they have stepped forward. African mediation is crucially under way. These efforts deserve strong and sustained international support, matched by concrete follow-through actions of the Council and the broader international community. In this regard, we commend the mediation and coordination efforts led by Their Excellencies Presidents João Lourenço, Faure Gnassingbé and Yoweri Museveni. These African-led initiatives truly matter to the resolution of this conflict. But they will only succeed if they are coherent, enforced and sufficiently supported to deliver results. When mediation speaks in multiple voices, spoilers listen carefully and they will act accordingly. The Washington Accords and the Doha Framework demonstrate that diplomacy remains alive. But agreements, without credible and collective commitment to implementation, do not build trust. Nor do they stop a single bullet. On the ground, as we have heard, trust continues to erode. Parallel power structures persist. Under such circumstances, accusations travel faster than confidence can be rebuilt. For this reason, the A3 calls for a single, results-driven implementation framework — African-led and firmly anchored in the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework. This Framework must do four things, clearly and without ambiguity: first, it must set measurable obligations with clear timelines; secondly, it must establish impartial verification, protected from political convenience; thirdly, it must apply consequences when commitments are ignored; and fourthly, it must ensure coordination among mediation tracks, rather than competition between them. Peace may be declared in agreements. But experience teaches us that, all too often, peace must be enforced through discipline and accountability. As we have been informed, the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is deteriorating — not incrementally, but dangerously. This poses a serious threat to regional and international peace. The A3 calls for an immediate end to hostilities, as required by resolution 2773 (2025) and reiterated in resolution 2808 (2026). The same obligation is embedded in the Washington agreements and the Doha process. These commitments must be fully respected. At the same time, we are deeply concerned by the continued expansion of armed groups, including their use of heavy weapons and armed drones in civilian areas, which was just confirmed again by the Special Envoy. The A3 believes this is in clear violation of international humanitarian law and cannot be ignored. Therefore, the A3 condemns these actions without qualification. Let us be clear: international humanitarian law is not optional, and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity is non-negotiable. As the briefers have variously informed us, a failure to reverse this trajectory risks regional spillover and dangerous miscalculation in the Great Lakes region. In this context, the A3 welcomes all initiatives aimed at accelerating the operationalization of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme for foreign combatants. We reiterate our call for sustained support for this programme. Each country in the region must assume its responsibilities by establishing national mechanisms to address armed groups operating within its territory and facilitating their return to their countries of origin. In the Great Lakes region, as the reports confirm, the humanitarian situation remains dire. More than 6 million people have been displaced. Children are malnourished — not because solutions are lacking but because resources have not arrived. Humanitarian response plans remain severely underfunded. Access is constrained. Host communities are stretched to the breaking point. The stubborn truth is that the humanitarian response cannot rely on sympathy alone; it requires predictable financing, unconditional access and fair burden-sharing. In this regard, the A3 calls upon the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to work closely with countries of the Great Lakes region to strengthen a regional approach to cross-border refugee risk management and to ensure that, when conditions permit, refugees are supported in achieving a safe, voluntary and dignified return to their respective countries. The protection of civilians is not a footnote to mediation; it is the measure of whether mediation is actually worth the name. Accountability must advance alongside dialogue — not later, not someday, not anytime soon, but now. History reminds all of us that peace built on a silence around abuses will not long endure. The conflict in the Great Lakes region is sustained not only by weapons but also by profits. The illicit exploitation of natural resources continues to finance instability. Tackling impunity in that domain requires action across the entire supply chain — from production and export to exploitation. The A3 therefore welcomes efforts, including those emerging from the Gaborone workshop, to strengthen transparency, traceability and governance in the extractive sector. We also support the establishment of a mechanism, similar to the Kimberley Process, to address gold from conflict zones. Disrupting the political economy of violence is not secondary; it is central to ending the war. The Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework remains the region’s most credible road map. However, road maps do not move people; decisions do. The people of the Great Lakes region do not need more agreements; they need proof that agreements matter. The Council must signal clearly and collectively that obstruction will be exposed, violations will be addressed, and African-led solutions will be matched by international support and resolve. Anything less risks turning this moment into yet another missed opportunity — a failure that none of us should accept and that the people of the Great Lakes region certainly do not deserve. In closing, the A3 reaffirms its unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and of all the brotherly nations of the Great Lakes region — an essential pillar of our African continent.

I thank Special Envoy Xia Huang and Executive Director Bahous for their briefings. I welcome the representatives of Angola and Rwanda to today’s meeting. The Great Lakes region lies at the heart of the African continent, endowed with rich natural resources and enormous development potential. Yet regrettably, the region has repeatedly seen a resurgence of armed conflict, and peace processes have suffered numerous setbacks, resulting in mass displacement and even deaths. Peace, development and prosperity in the Great Lakes region require mutual respect, dialogue, reconciliation and solidarity among the countries in the region, as well as the support and assistance of the international community. I would like to make the following three points. First, the situation must be de-escalated as a matter of urgency, and a ceasefire must be implemented. The conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has always served as the epicentre of regional instability. Given the absence of a genuine and long-overdue ceasefire in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the frequent outbreaks of conflict and violence, the international community must urge all parties to the conflict to implement relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2773 (2025); fully honour their ceasefire commitments; and refrain from escalatory actions. China welcomes the mediation efforts led by the African Union (AU) and supports its central role in resolving issues in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. We note the resumption of the Doha process negotiations and encourage parties to seize the opportunity to reach greater consensus to achieve a durable ceasefire. The Council should continue to support the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region in spearheading mediation and coordination efforts, clearly define the regional mandate of the Special Envoy’s Office and the country-specific mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and jointly provide greater assistance in peace processes led by the AU and the region. Secondly, the security concerns of all countries must be properly addressed to uphold common security. As neighbours, the countries in the Great Lakes region share close communal ties and a long history of interaction. The shared bonds should serve as an asset for communication and cooperation among countries in the region, instead of a liability that breeds suspicion and animosity. China has consistently called on regional States to reject geopolitical confrontation and maintain good-neighbourly relations, to set aside historical grievances and bridge trust deficits, and to abandon zero-sum thinking and pursue win-win cooperation. It is natural for neighbours to have differences. However, escalation and the use of force cannot fundamentally resolve issues. The key lies in adhering to a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, as well as in resolving differences through dialogue and consultation with a view to achieving lasting peace, unity and stability in the region. Thirdly, we must pursue security and development in tandem in order to address the root causes of conflict. The long-standing instability in the Great Lakes region stems from immediate security challenges and is closely intertwined with the region’s development and governance deficits. In particular, the intertwining of illegal mining and armed activities means that regional resources, rather than being translated into public well-being, have exacerbated a cycle of violence. To tackle this challenge, we cannot rely solely on short-term security measures. We must adopt a long-term perspective, supporting countries in the region in overcoming the predicament of weak governance and underdevelopment and enhancing the public’s sense of fulfilment, happiness and national identity. The international community must support countries in the region in strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation with regard to mineral resources and severing illegal mining and smuggling chains. Major external Powers participating in regional resource development must always adhere to the principles of openness, inclusivity and transparency, avoiding the instrumentalization and politicization of resources. China has always attached great importance to the Great Lakes region and remains committed to safeguarding peace, stability and development in the region. It has consistently supported and upheld the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Moreover, China has announced a comprehensive zero-tariff policy for 53 African countries, including those in the Great Lakes region, effective on 1 May. China will engage extensively with countries in the region in cooperation areas such as infrastructure development and mineral resource industrialization. Those efforts will make a significant contribution to helping States in the region to increase exports, create jobs and promote development. China stands ready to continue to work alongside all parties in strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation with countries in the region and to help achieve lasting peace, development and prosperity in the region.

I would like to thank Special Envoy Xia Huang and Executive Director Bahous for their briefings. I welcome the representatives of Angola and Rwanda to today’s meeting. Before I begin my statement on the Great Lakes region, I want to recognize that this month marks the thirty-second anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. As we remember the horrific crimes that were committed, my thoughts are with the families and victims at this sombre time. I will now make three points. First, the United Kingdom remains concerned by the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the region, particularly driven by regional conflicts. We note that millions of civilians have been internally displaced in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and hundreds of thousands have sought refuge in neighbouring States. We have also seen the Sudan conflict driving displacement into South Sudan and Uganda. We call on all parties to facilitate full, safe and rapid humanitarian access to those in need. We also urge support for regional humanitarian appeals. The United Kingdom provided more than $130 million in humanitarian and peacebuilding funding to the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region in 2025. We also urge for an intensification of efforts to bring an end to conflicts in the region. We commend the diplomatic progress in negotiations to end the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and commend the leadership of the United States of America, Qatar and the African Union in driving peace. But diplomatic progress must also translate into progress on the ground. Secondly, it is critical that the protection of civilians be prioritized. We note that more than 2,900 human rights violations have been documented by the United Nations in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in the past six months. Women and girls continue to be disproportionately impacted by conflict, including widespread reports of conflict-related sexual violence. We call on all actors to protect civilians in line with their obligations under international law. Thirdly, the United Kingdom is concerned about growing restrictions in the civic and political space in certain parts of the region, including arbitrary arrests and, in some States, the detention of opposition members. Inclusive governance, accountability and the safeguarding of rights are essential for long-term stability in the region, helping to address grievances and undercut cycles of instability. We ask all countries to uphold civic space and protect freedom of expression.

I would like to start by thanking Special Envoy Xia and Executive Director Bahous for their comprehensive briefings. I would also like to welcome the participation of the representatives of Angola and Rwanda at today’s meeting. I would like to make the following points. First, despite continuous collective international and regional efforts and considerable achievements, the armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. We are alarmed by the continuous violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and broader regional escalations. We reiterate that resolution 2773 (2025) must be implemented immediately, fully and unconditionally. The momentum generated by the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda must be preserved. We welcome all efforts aimed at securing a ceasefire and advancing sustainable peace, stability and reconciliation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. We commend the United States of America, Qatar, the African Union and Angola for their important mediation efforts. All parties must immediately de-escalate and honour the commitments they have undertaken under the various peace processes and accelerate their implementation. The Alliance Fleuve Congo/Mouvement du 23 mars must immediately cease hostilities and withdraw all troops from Goma, Bukavu and all other areas under its control. The airports of Goma and Kavumu must reopen without delay. All restrictions on the freedom of movement of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo must be lifted. Secondly, we are deeply concerned about the exacerbation of an already dire humanitarian situation. The continued offensive by the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23) in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has led to a further and mounting increase in the number of internally displaced persons in the Great Lakes region. We are in particular alarmed by the almost 6.5 million internally displaced persons recorded as of February, including 3.3 million in North and South Kivu and almost 1 million in Ituri alone. Food insecurity is already affecting more than 2 million people in Uganda and is projected to affect more than 26 million people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a further 1 million in Burundi during the first half of 2026. Recurring communicable diseases and natural disasters, triggered by climate change, remain also major challenges for the region. We strongly condemn all human rights violations and abuses in the countries of the region, as reported by the Secretary- General. We are concerned in particular about the grave human rights violations and abuses committed against women and children, notably the large-scale recruitment and use of children, abductions, killings and maiming and the shocking levels of conflict-related sexual violence. All perpetrators of human rights violations must be brought to justice. Thirdly, we welcome the Special Envoy’s recent engagements with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict and the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide. We also welcome the support of his Office for non-military responses through the Contact and Coordination Group and the first regional standard operating procedures framework document for cooperation on the repatriation of foreign combatants across the Great Lakes region. We stress the need for cross-border coordination, with transparency and accountability, for an orderly, safe, voluntary, verified, dignified and predictable extraction and repatriation of ex-combatants. We believe in the meaningful and active participation of women and youth in political and peace processes as a key element of sustainable peace in the Great Lakes region and in their pivotal role in the success of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration. In conclusion, we concur with the Secretary-General in his assessment that building trust and confidence between the parties and ensuring inclusivity remains essential for the collaboration of all the countries of the Great Lakes region towards sustainable lasting peace, stability and prosperity. Greece will continue to engage constructively with all partners in the Security Council, as well as bilaterally, to this end.

Panama would like to thank Mr. Xia Huang, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region of Africa, for his briefing. We also recognize the valuable participation of the Executive Director of UN-Women, Ms. Sima Sami Bahous, whose leadership we commend and whose presence in the meeting underscores the importance of fully integrating the women and peace and security agenda into stabilization efforts in the region. We further recognize the presence of the representatives of Angola and Rwanda, who are joining us today. Panama takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region (S/2026/256). We recognize the diplomatic efforts during the reporting period, including the Washington and Doha processes, as well as the work of the African Union, the panel of facilitators and regional mechanisms to advance a lasting political solution. We welcome in particular the progressive operationalization of the Ceasefire Oversight and Verification Mechanism and the efforts to strengthen coordination among regional initiatives. However, we remain deeply concerned that these advances have not yet resulted in tangible improvements on the ground. The security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to deteriorate, with the expansion of armed operations, the increasing use of drones in the conflict and recent attacks, including an attack in Goma on 11 March that claimed the lives of civilians, including that of a UNICEF staff member. Panama notes with concern the consolidation of parallel administrative structures by the Alliance Fleuve Congo and the Mouvement du 23 mars in parts of the Kivus, their advance towards Uvira in December, and the continued activity of the Allied Democratic Forces, which were responsible for at least 431 civilian deaths during the reporting period. We are equally concerned about the worsening humanitarian crisis. The report notes that 6.4 million people remain internally displaced and that 14.9 million require humanitarian assistance, while only 25.7 per cent of the required funding has been mobilized, severely limiting the international response to this humanitarian crisis. Panama also would like to express concern about the documented human rights violations, including violence against civilians and vulnerable communities, and the increase in conflict-related sexual violence, which disproportionately affects women and girls. In this context, Panama would like to underscore three priority areas. We reiterate the need for the full and verifiable implementation of commitments undertaken in the Washington and Doha processes, including the finalization of the six pending protocols, namely those pertaining to humanitarian access; the return of displaced persons; disarmament, demobilization and reintegration; economic recovery; transitional justice and the restoration of State authority. We consider it essential to strengthen coherence among regional and continental mediation initiatives, avoiding fragmentation of efforts and reinforcing African leadership in the quest for sustainable solutions. We underscore the importance of addressing the structural causes of the conflict, including the illegal exploitation of natural resources, and ensuring the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in all peace processes. In this regard, Panama emphasizes the urgency of strengthening protection for women human rights defenders, supporting the implementation of regional commitments on women’s participation in ceasefire verification mechanisms, and ensuring the effective inclusion of women in the national dialogue processes currently being prepared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Panama reaffirms its support for the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework as a cornerstone of the regional stability architecture and reiterates its support for the role of the Special Envoy and the United Nations in promoting dialogue, de-escalation and international cooperation.

I would like to thank Special Envoy Xia and Executive Director Sima Sami Bahous for their briefings and for highlighting the transformative potential of women’s participation across the Great Lakes region. Allow me to first address the current critical situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In line with resolutions 2773 (2025) and 2808 (2025), as well as the commitments made under the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda and the Doha Framework for a Comprehensive Peace Agreement, we urge the parties to immediately implement a permanent and verifiable ceasefire. In accordance with these resolutions, we reiterate the call for Rwanda to withdraw its troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for the Democratic Republic of the Congo to neutralize the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda, and for the Mouvement du 23 mars to immediately cease its offensive operations and withdraw from all controlled areas. We reaffirm the centrality of the African Union (AU)-led mediation track in ensuring harmonization and coherence among peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and we welcome the efforts of Togo and the AU Panel of Facilitators in this regard. We commend the work of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region in consolidating the ceasefire monitoring architecture through the Ceasefire Oversight and Verification Mechanism with the key support of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in line with resolution 2808 (2025). We encourage the Special Envoy and his office to continue to support these efforts for peace. We especially advocate for the participation of women in the ongoing peace process, as we have heard today they are almost entirely absent. Turning to regional cooperation, we welcome initiatives that enhance trust among States, support legal trade and create shared economic incentives for peace. In that spirit, we urge the expansion of the regional economic integration framework to include more countries from the region. This has the potential to drive economic progress and improve the lives of communities across the Great Lakes, as have the continued efforts to strengthen transparent natural resource management, as many have mentioned here today. Denmark is deeply concerned by the deteriorating human rights situation across the Great Lakes region, marked by persistent violations and hate speech. In the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the scale and brutality of violence remain alarming, with armed groups responsible for the majority of abuses, including killings, sexual and gender-based violence, and forced displacement. At the same time, reports of violations by State actors as well as targeted abuses against specific communities underscore the urgent need for accountability and protection of all civilians without discrimination. Beyond the Democratic Republic of the Congo, trends across the region point to increasing restrictions on political and civic space. We underscore the importance of upholding human rights and the rule of law, ensuring accountability for violations and safeguarding inclusive political processes. And, as we have been reminded today, we need to support women and youth-led civil society organizations and protect the civic space. These are essential foundations for sustainable peace and stability in the region. The path to lasting peace in the Great Lakes region will not be forged through force of arms but through the steady resolve of cooperation, accountable governance and a shared determination to address the root causes of conflict. Denmark stands ready to work with all stakeholders to advance dialogue, strengthen partnerships and uphold the principles that underpin durable peace.

I thank Special Envoy Xia for his briefing and for his continued coordination in the region; Director Bahous of UN- Women and the team for the valuable reminders of the importance of women and our contributions to peace, security and prosperity, and the remarks from my colleagues acknowledging that as well; and the representatives of Rwanda and Angola. The signing of the Peace Agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda is a significant achievement — one in which President Trump once again broke gridlock through direct engagement and sustained diplomacy. We fully expect the complete and timely implementation of all elements of the Agreement to advance peace, stability and prosperity in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the broader Great Lakes region. The American people would also like to express our appreciation to Qatar for its work in facilitating the Doha Framework for a Comprehensive Peace Agreement. This complementary track focused on direct engagement between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Mouvement du 23 mars armed group is critical to addressing immediate sources of violence. We thank Switzerland for its willingness to host the latest round of talks, which are currently ongoing. We also appreciate the African Union’s mediation efforts, which complement the Washington and Doha processes. African-led efforts remain indispensable for long-term stability. The African Union’s work centred on the Panel of Facilitators and, under the leadership of the Togolese President, is critical to peacebuilding in the Great Lakes. We also commend the efforts of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region in supporting ceasefire oversight and verification under the Doha process. Lasting peace in the Great Lakes must ultimately be led and sustained by the region itself. Despite the progress to date, we cannot ignore the challenges that remain. We are deeply disappointed by Rwanda’s continued escalation of the conflict, which continues in direct violation of its obligations under the Washington Agreement. We reiterate our call for the immediate withdrawal of Rwandan troops. The sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of the Democratic Republic of the Congo must be respected. In turn, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo must follow through on its commitments to immediately neutralize the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda, at least in the areas under its control. Addressing these long-standing security concerns is essential to breaking the cycle of mistrust that has fuelled this conflict for decades. We are not afraid to explore all available tools to promote accountability for those who undermine peace. Last month, the United States imposed targeted sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force and four of its senior generals responsible for destabilizing actions. Those who undermine peace should expect consequences. As a committed partner in advancing security and prosperity for the Great Lakes, the American people remain focused on a single objective, which is durable peace. We will continue to follow developments in the region with great attention.

Pakistan thanks the Special Envoy of the Secretary- General, Mr. Xia Huang, for his detailed briefing. We also appreciate the complementary briefing by Executive Director Sima Bahous and take good note of her key asks. I also welcome the participation of the representatives of Angola and Rwanda in this meeting. As we have heard, the situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo remains fragile and deeply concerning. Continued violence, humanitarian pressures and internal displacement underscore the urgency of restoring peace and stability on the ground. We reiterate the need for full implementation of resolution 2773 (2025) and stress that progress towards a durable ceasefire remains essential for stabilizing the region and creating space for a political solution. We welcome the sustained diplomatic engagement in support of de-escalation, including efforts under the African Union-led mediation, the Washington process and the Doha Framework for a Comprehensive Peace Agreement. These initiatives, together with the good offices of the United Nations and regional organizations, represent important and mutually reinforcing pathways towards restoring trust between the parties and advancing a comprehensive settlement. Pakistan also takes note of progress towards operationalizing the ceasefire oversight and verification arrangements and supports the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) playing a constructive role in ceasefire implementation once conditions permit, in line with resolution 2808 (2025). The Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region continues to provide a comprehensive platform for addressing the root causes of instability in the Great Lakes region. Its commitments relating to dialogue, cooperation and confidence-building remain essential for advancing regional stability. The illicit exploitation and trafficking of critical natural resources also remain a structural driver of instability in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Addressing these issues requires strengthened regional cooperation, transparency in supply chains and effective implementation of existing regional mechanisms — including those of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region — to ensure that natural resources become a source of shared prosperity and not conflict and chaos for the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. If I may, I would like to go back to the Special Envoy’s briefing. We appreciate and support his efforts. We can understand his sense of regret that while diplomacy has intensified, the humanitarian and security situation has not improved on the ground. And he has rightly highlighted the complexity of the challenge and the regional and historical dimensions and, therefore, the need for a regional mandate complementing the country-specific mandate of MONUSCO. His appeal to the parties to build trust and to seize the opportunity for durable peace also makes all the more sense. We have said before in the Council that it is not very often that so much international attention and diplomatic effort are galvanized around a situation that also has the strong support of the Council. We must fully avail ourselves of this diplomatic window. In this context, Pakistan reaffirms its strong support for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and we reiterate our commitment to advancing lasting peace and stability in the Great Lakes region.

I thank the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, Mr. Xia Huang, for presenting the Secretary-General’s latest report (S/2026/256), and the Director of UN- Women, Ms. Sima Bahous, for her thoughts. I welcome the delegations joining us for today’s meeting. There is a pressing need to achieve peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo for the stability of the entire Great Lakes region. Colombia renews its appeal to the parties to comply with the terms of the agreements and to fully respect the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference, good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation, in line with the Charter of the United Nations. We note with concern the perpetual cycles of violence. The brunt is being borne by the civilian population, which is subjected to forced displacement, grave human rights violations, gender-based violence and, increasingly, conflict-related sexual violence. We remind all parties of their duty to abide scrupulously by international humanitarian law and to ensure that civilians are protected. Colombia echoes the Special Envoy’s call for consistency, complementarity and coordination among the various peace initiatives to be reinforced as part of a clear regional approach. Furthermore, we concur that the United Nations willingness to furnish political and technical support must be matched by sustained commitment from States to tackle the structural causes of instability and move decisively towards the full revitalization of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. In this regard, my delegation believes that the challenges to peace in the region require a comprehensive approach, in relation to which we wish to underscore four points. Firstly, civic space must be strengthened, and free, safe and inclusive political dialogue must be protected. Fostering democratic debate helps to prevent and counteract hate speech and disinformation — phenomena that entrench social divisions and fuel cycles of violence. Secondly, there is a need to amplify women’s voices and ensure their full, equal, safe and meaningful participation at various levels of decision-making, including the role of women facilitators in the African Union and as community leaders. Including women in all processes contributes to translating the agreements and resolutions adopted by the Council into tangible action on the ground. Thirdly, efforts to involve young people in peacebuilding and economic empowerment initiatives must continue. In armed conflict settings, young people undergoing the transition into adulthood may fall through the regulatory cracks between child protection frameworks and policies aimed at the adult population. This gap limits their opportunities for development and leaves them increasingly vulnerable to risks such as recruitment, radicalization and harassment, which stoke conflict. Fourthly, the responsible, transparent and sustainable stewardship of natural resources is an endeavour that commits the entire international community. The illicit exploitation of minerals continues to inflame violence and undermine governance. Accordingly, promoting traceability, sound resource management and tangible benefits for local communities are key to severing the nexus between the extraction of natural resources and the financing of illegal armed groups. Against this backdrop, Colombia appreciates the good offices of the Office of the Special Envoy for the comprehensive and regional approach taken, in particular the impetus given to the women and peace and security agenda and the youth, peace and security agenda and the promotion of responsible, transparent and sustainable stewardship of natural resources. We invite him to continue his efforts to build lasting peace in the Great Lakes region, which will translate into stability, development and improved living conditions for its communities.

I thank Special Envoy Xia Huang for his briefing and for his efforts to advance peace and cooperation in the Great Lakes region. I also thank Executive Director Sima Bahous for her briefing highlighting the decisive role of women in building peace. I welcome the participation of the representatives of Rwanda and Angola in this meeting. I will make three points. First, the signatories to the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region committed to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries and to neither tolerate nor aid armed groups. More than a decade later, this commitment is as relevant as ever. Peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo remains elusive. Latvia supports the United States, Qatar and African Union-led peace processes, and we note the resumption of talks between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Alliance Fleuve Congo/Mouvement du 23 mars (M23) under the Doha Framework for a Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Yet as Special Envoy Xia Huang has underlined, despite the diplomatic efforts, in practice, the security and humanitarian situation is worsening. We call on Rwanda to cease its support for the M23 and withdraw its troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and for the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda to be neutralized. Resolution 2773 (2025) must be fully implemented. All parties must engage in good faith and honour their commitments and, as a matter of the utmost urgency, hostilities must cease and the ceasefire must be implemented. We also reiterate our support for the Secretary-General’s proposed conditions-based approach for the support of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for ceasefire implementation in North Kivu and South Kivu in line with resolution 2808 (2025). It is the responsibility of all parties to enable those conditions. Secondly, for years, the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has subjected the Congolese people to unspeakable atrocities. Women and girls experience the worst of it, as conflict-related sexual violence is systematically used as a weapon of war. We insist that all violations of international humanitarian law and human rights must be met with accountability. Regrettably, conflicts feed on themselves, especially in communities already ridden with tensions. Therefore, we are also concerned about the reports of surging hate speech in the context of the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. On 7 April, we marked the beginning of the 100-day commemoration period of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. We pay tribute to the victims and survivors. This dark page in human history holds a lesson that must never be forgotten: words can lead to violence. We urge all to weigh words with care. It is important to speak up for truth and justice, but hate speech and incitement to violence must be rejected. Thirdly, conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo affects the entire Great Lakes region, increasing regional instability risks and humanitarian pressures, especially in relation to displacement. Therefore, unlocking peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo will benefit the wider region. At the same time, home-grown challenges cannot be ignored either. We are concerned about the reports of shrinking civic space in the countries of the Great Lakes region, in particular in electoral contexts, in an effort to intimidate political opposition. Peaceful, inclusive and sustainable development thrives on meaningful participation by all groups of the society. We urge all countries of the region to uphold fundamental rights and freedoms, which constitute the core of democratic processes. We particularly encourage countries to meaningfully engage youth and women in political and peace processes, and we welcome the positive developments in terms of women’s political participation in the region, as described by Ms. Sima Bahous. We support the Special Envoy’s continued advocacy to that end. The Great Lakes region holds immense potential, and its people deserve to live in peace and build a prosperous future. That aspiration must be the guiding light for the decision makers in the region and for the international community supporting them.

We would like to thank Special Envoy Xia Huang and Executive Director Sima Bahous for their briefings. We welcome the participation in today’s meeting of the representatives of Angola and Rwanda. The Great Lakes region remains hostage to the crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The situation there remains an intractable regional problem and the main obstacle to the development of constructive, mutually beneficial relations between neighbouring States. Several months ago, the escalation resulting from the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23) group’s capture, with external assistance, of the town of Uvira in South Kivu on the border with Burundi brought the region to the brink of an inter-State armed conflict. As we recall, this occurred merely hours after the pompous announcement of yet another package of peace agreements between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda in Washington, D.C. This turn of events, like everything else that we continue to witness in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, speaks volumes about the fact that international diplomatic efforts are failing to yield the desired results and are not helping to improve the situation on the ground. The truce and ceasefire, to our deep regret, remain dead letter. It is clear that real progress towards resolving the conflict will only be possible once the parties begin to fulfil the commitments that they undertook in good faith. We hope that the mediators, for their part, will make further efforts to ensure the implementation of the agreements arrived at with their participation. We note the resumption of discussions between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the M23 within the Doha format, this time in Switzerland. The continuation of the dialogue in and of itself is giving rise to cautious optimism. However, its trajectory and the magnitude of unresolved conflict suggest that, for now, a very long and thorny path still lies ahead. As is well known, in February of last year, in its resolution 2773 (2025) the Security Council urged the parties to embrace political means of stabilizing the situation that could be implemented without preconditions or protracted negotiations. However, both Kigali and Kinshasa effectively rejected the demands to cease hostilities and halt support for illegal armed groups. Regional diplomatic initiatives led by Togo’s Prime Minister Faure Gnassingbé have also gone unheeded. We thank Mr. Gnassingbé and the group of mediators for their consistent efforts to stabilize the Great Lakes region. We also support the work of our Angolan colleagues aimed at establishing an inter-Congolese dialogue. In this regard, we would like to emphasize the need for clear coordination of all peacekeeping initiatives in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the importance of ensuring that these efforts are aimed at addressing the root causes of the crisis in order to achieve a sustainable settlement. We support the efforts of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, Mr. Xia Huang, to facilitate African mediation and rebuild constructive dialogue among all countries in the region. His mandate is also of paramount importance for the revitalization of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region, the key provisions of which are intended to serve as a road map for regional cooperation. For our part, we will continue to work within the Council to promote a political settlement of the crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and longterm stabilization in the Great Lakes region.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Bahrain. (spoke in Arabic) At the outset, I would like to thank Mr. Xia Huang, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, for his briefing and for his tireless efforts to strengthen coordination among the various peace processes, I would also like to thank Ms. Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director of UN-Women and Under- Secretary-General, for her briefing, which places women’s voices at the heart of our discussions rather than on the margins thereof. We also welcome the participation of the representatives of the Republic of Angola and the Republic of Rwanda in today’s meeting. This meeting comes at a critical juncture, as the diplomatic track is making promising progress, while the situation on the ground continues to be held hostage by ongoing tensions that undermine the prospects of stability. In this context, the Kingdom of Bahrain welcomes the progress made on the political tracks, in particular the Doha process, the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, the Ceasefire Oversight and Verification Mechanism and the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus, alongside the mediation efforts led by the African Union and regional partners, as fundamental pillars for consolidating regional coordination and paving the way towards sustainable peace. However, the Secretary-General’s report (S/2026/256) makes it clear that this progress continues to be offset by the worrisome deterioration on the ground. Military operations persist, and the activities of armed groups are intensifying, with the use of advanced weaponry, including drones, exacerbating the suffering of civilians and threatening to undermine the political progress that has been made. In view of the foregoing, the Kingdom of Bahrain wishes to emphasize three key messages. First, implementation is the measure of credibility. We call for commitments to be implemented fully, in good faith and without delay, for the remaining protocols under the Doha process to be completed and for coordination among the various processes to be strengthened in order to ensure their integration. In this context, we emphasize the importance of fully implementing resolution 2773 (2025), particularly its provisions regarding the cessation of hostilities and the immediate withdrawal of the Mouvement du 23 mars and other armed groups from all areas under their control in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. This would help to create the conditions for a ceasefire and the restoration of stability. Secondly, the protection of civilians is a priority that cannot be deferred, given the large-scale displacement and growing humanitarian needs in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, alongside grave violations, including sexual violence. It is therefore necessary to promote rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access and to bolster compliance with international law, including international humanitarian law. Thirdly, addressing the root causes is an urgent necessity rather than an option, including limiting the spread of armed groups, combating the illegal exploitation of natural resources and supporting disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes. Furthermore, the importance of involving women and youth in peace processes is not a complementary element but a fundamental prerequisite for the success of any sustainable settlement. The Secretary-General’s report highlights the importance of enhancing their meaningful participation in political processes, thereby ensuring that solutions are more inclusive and responsive to the needs of local communities. We therefore welcome the efforts of the Office of the Special Envoy to promote the role of women and youth in peacebuilding processes. The Kingdom of Bahrain also reaffirms that the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains a key pillar in supporting stability, meaning that it should be fully empowered to carry out its mandate, in particular in protecting civilians and supporting ceasefire mechanisms, in accordance with resolutions 2773 (2025) and 2808 (2025). In conclusion, the Kingdom of Bahrain affirms that the path to sustainable peace lies in sincere political will, effective cooperation and coordination and full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States. Peace is not measured by what we sign but rather by the impact we make in peoples’ lives, and the responsibility today lies not in agreeing what ought to be done but in commencing its implementation without delay. I resume my functions as President of the Council. I now give the floor to the representative of Angola.

We would like to thank Mr. Xia Huang, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, for introducing the Secretary- General’s report (S/2026/256). We commend his leadership and tireless efforts in advancing the implementation of the 2013 Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region, which remains a central instrument for promoting long-term peace and stability. We thank Ms. Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN-Women, for her briefing. The security situation in the Great Lakes region continues to deteriorate, marked by a worrisome proliferation of armed groups fuelled by distrust among communities. The conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo remains a major source of regional tension. We acknowledge the various regional and international initiatives aimed at restoring trust and advancing peace in the region. The Republic of Angola remains deeply concerned about the conflict situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and its potential regional implications. We reiterate that a sustainable solution cannot be achieved by military means. In this regard, we underscore the importance of the full and verifiable implementation of commitments undertaken under the Doha Framework for a Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 15 November 2025, the Peace Agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda of 4 December 2025 and the relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolutions 2773 (2025) and 2808 (2025). These commitments are essential to restoring trust and ensuring the credibility of the peace process, which must also be inclusive and nationally owned. In this context, in line with the regional and international efforts for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, His Excellency Mr. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, has been actively engaging with Congolese stakeholders to create conditions for an inclusive inter-Congolese dialogue aimed at achieving national reconciliation. These efforts have resulted in the drafting of the terms of reference for a structured, transparent and results-oriented dialogue, which have been submitted to the Democratic Republic of the Congo authorities. We are also encouraged by recent developments, including the meeting between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda held in Washington, D.C., on 18 March to de-escalate tensions, and the Doha format meeting under way in Geneva to assess progress on the ground, including the work of the Ceasefire Oversight and Verification Mechanism. Angola reaffirms its strong support for ongoing regional and international efforts to achieve a political and sustainable solution to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We stress the importance of enhanced coordination and coherence among all the mediation initiatives, guided by the principle of African solutions to African problems, and the role of His Excellency Mr. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Council of Ministers of the Togolese Republic, in his capacity as the African Union mediator, in order to maximize synergies and avoid fragmentation. We call on the Security Council to ensure the full engagement of all concerned parties in implementation of the agreements reached and to preserve the progress made in the peace process. Finally, we underscore the importance of the meaningful participation of women and youth in peacebuilding efforts as key actors in promoting dialogue and national reconciliation.

I now give the floor to the representative of Rwanda.

I thank you again, Madam President, for giving me the floor and for convening this meeting. I thank the Special Envoy very much for his leadership and for meeting regional leaders on this matter. I thank the Executive Director of UN-Women for her comprehensive additional briefing at today’s meeting. I again thank the members of the Security Council for inviting Rwanda and for allowing Rwanda to participate and make its own contribution to a matter of concern as a member of the Great Lakes region. As mentioned by a few Council members, this meeting takes place one week after we commemorated the genocide against the Tutsi, right behind us in the General Assembly Hall. It was just last week. The perpetrators who committed this crime fled into the Democratic Republic of the Congo and remain active until today. Addressing their continued presence was one of the central reasons for the establishment of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region, among others. Since 2013, Rwanda’s position has remained clear and consistent: we have fully upheld our commitments under the Framework in both letter and spirit and have participated constructively in all engagements. Our approach has been principled and aligned with the Framework’s core objective: addressing the root causes to achieve sustainable peace in our region. Yet, more than a decade later, the fundamental drivers of instability remain unchanged. This reflects not a failure in the Framework itself but a failure in its implementation. As consistently stated, Rwanda’s security concern and an ongoing existential threat remains the continued presence and tolerance of the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This was before and after the signing of the Framework. This group poses a direct threat to Rwanda and to regional stability. Its persistent presence contradicts commitments undertaken under the Framework we are reviewing today. There can be no credible path to peace without its effective and irreversible neutralization. This issue has been consistently raised in our engagements with all Special Envoys, past and present, the Secretariat, the Security Council and in all forums that are mediating for peace. We are also witnessing, as mentioned, escalating hate speech, ethnic targeting and violence against Rwandophone communities, including particularly the Banyamulenge people. The continued portrayal of these communities as “foreigners”, remains a matter of concern in the realization of the aspirations of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for our region. These realities point to deep-rooted challenges that must be addressed directly. Sustainable peace cannot be built on avoidance. The Framework is grounded in collective responsibility. Peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and peace in the region are inseparable. Selective implementation and selective accountability will not deliver results. We welcome ongoing efforts, including the ceasefire arrangements and the processes in Washington and Doha. Rwanda continues to support practical interim measures as well, including a call for a buffer or interposition force to stabilize the situation while political processes advance. Allow me to pose two questions that Rwanda has consistently raised in all implementation discussions and in the Council. First, how do we explain that 13 years after the establishment and the signing of the Framework that the root causes remain unaddressed and unchanged, including the neutralization of the FDLR? Secondly, how do we account for the persistence of hate speech and the exclusion and persecution of an entire community? These issues remain unresolved. What basis do we have to expect a different outcome? After 13 years, the path forward is clear. The commitments are known and what is required is full, consistent and good faith implementation, underpinning the Framework with other mechanisms to avoid fragmentation. Rwanda’s commitment has remained unchanged since 2013. We remain engaged constructively and in alignment with the aspirations that were contained in the Framework itself. But the success of the Framework depends on all parties meeting their obligations fully and without exception. As has been said, there is no military solution to this crisis. Only a genuine return to the principles of the Framework will ensure accountability, cooperation and mutual respect and will deliver sustainable peace for our region.

At the outset, allow me to pay tribute to His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, Secretary- General of the United Nations, for his sustained commitment to peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank his Special Envoy, Ambassador Xia Huang, for his briefing today. I would also like to thank the Executive Director of UN-Women, Ms. Sima Sami Bahous, for briefing the Council on the plight of Congolese women and children in the areas occupied by Rwanda and the Alliance Fleuve Congo/Mouvement du 23 mars (AFC/M23). My delegation had not intended to speak at this stage, particularly following the statement made on behalf of the African members of the Security Council, with which we fully agree. However, the statement we have just heard leaves me little choice. Allow me, in my national capacity, to make a few additional comments. We have taken note, first of all, of the Secretary-General’s report of 31 March 2026 (S/2026/256) on the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. It shows the following. First, the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region has been marked by numerous diplomatic efforts at the international and regional level, notably through the Ceasefire Oversight and Verification Mechanism of 14 October, the Doha Framework for a Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 15 November 2025, the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity of 4 December and the strengthening of coordination of African peace efforts. I would like to emphasize the complementary nature of all these processes, the common focus of which remains the full implementation of the relevant provisions of resolutions 2773 (2025) (2025) and 2808 (2025), resolutions which strongly condemn the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23) offensive and the violence in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, call for an immediate ceasefire, demand the withdrawal of theM23, and call on the Rwanda Defence Force to cease its support for the M23 and withdraw from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while reaffirming the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Despite all these initiatives, we remain concerned, in the light of recent developments, about the sincerity of the commitment of Rwanda and that of its proxies, who persist in flouting their commitments under the aforementioned agreements. Need we still remind anyone that, in an interview with Jeune Afrique at the beginning of April and during a national dialogue in February 2026, the Rwandan authorities acknowledged the presence of Rwandan troops in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, describing these actions as essential defensive measures? They denied the plundering of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s natural resources and refused to yield to what they call the threat of international sanctions. It is precisely for this reason that all peace initiatives at the regional and international level have come to nothing. This is particularly true of the peace plan resulting from the Luanda and Nairobi processes, whose implementation Rwanda has deliberately blocked in order to buy time and realize its excessive ambition to establish a sphere of influence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which it would transform into a colony for exploitation and settlement and from which it would control Congolese institutions. These actions on the part of Rwanda are unacceptable and undermine regional peace and the provisions of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region, which the country had nevertheless freely subscribed. Secondly, the ongoing fighting is an obstacle to any cessation of hostilities and the gap between diplomatic efforts and the reality of the security situation on the ground, as mentioned by the Secretary-General in his report. The report rightly draws attention to the continued violence in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with an intensification of military clashes, and the Secretary-General condemns the territorial expansion of the AFC/M23, lambasting its offensive in South Kivu in December 2025, only days after the signing of the Washington Accords. My delegation thus wishes to reiterate its deep concern regarding the persistence of hostilities in the eastern part of the country. Once again, the AFC/M23, backed by the Rwandan Defence Force, is continuing its offensive towards Uvira, threatening the security of both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi, a neighbouring country and signatory to the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework. In accordance with resolutions 2773 (2025) and 2808 (2025), the AFC/M23 must cease hostilities and completely dismantle the illegitimate parallel administrations established in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo must be respected. However, it is incumbent upon the Security Council, given that the responsibility for the current escalation and continuation of hostilities has been clearly established, to take the necessary measures to restore peace in that part of my country. For the moment, I invite the Council to take note of the fact that this situation has resulted in the displacement of more than 7 million Congolese. As we know, the statistics are sickening. More than 70 per cent of those displaced are women and girls. With their basic vital needs unmet, these Congolese women have lost all human dignity. Many have been subjected to rape, sexual violence and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, particularly within the vicinity of mining zones. Our position remains unchanged: Rwandan troops must withdraw from the Democratic Republic of the Congo immediately and unconditionally, as demanded by resolution 2773 (2025), which the Council adopted unanimously. Rwanda’s other destabilizing activities in the Great Lakes region, conducted through its numerous proxies, must also cease, or lasting peace will never be achieved in this region. For my delegation — and let this be clear — the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, are non-negotiable. My country, under aggression, will reclaim every square millimetre of its territory, which continues to be gravely violated. The martyred Congolese civilian populations in the eastern region continue to pay the heaviest toll in this three-decade-long conflict. Women and children are displaced and abused by the thousands; sexual violence against women is rampant; and children are deprived of schooling, recruited into armed groups and subjected to forced labour in the mines. To this grim chapter must also be added attacks against humanitarian personnel and peacekeepers. These unacceptable and ongoing violations of international humanitarian law and human rights — documented by the United Nations — constitute the daily reality in the Great Lakes region. In view of such realities, the Democratic Republic of the Congo calls upon the Council to maintain maximum pressure on Rwanda and its proxies, and to ensure that its decisions are enforced on the ground. In that context, my delegation reiterates its position regarding strengthening the role of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in monitoring the ceasefire in order to stabilize the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The same applies to the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region of Africa, which is essential for tackling this clearly regional conflict. The regional dimension of the conflict must be reaffirmed to facilitate a better approach to finding a solution. In my delegation’s view, now is not the time to deprive those two entities of the adequate resources required to fully execute their respective mandates. Such resources could spare a country, and an entire region, from being engulfed in conflict. Mirroring the spirit of His Excellency President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, a man of peace, the Democratic Republic of the Congo will continue to support, in good faith, diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving peace in the country and throughout the Great Lakes region. From Doha to Washington, D.C., here at the Council and before the African Union, the Democratic Republic of the Congo will in good faith remain committed to making peace with all of its neighbours. In return, the success of this initiative requires that all partners, signatories to and guarantors of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework be animated by the same spirit and determination for achieving a peaceful, stable and prosperous Great Lakes region. When representatives of Rwanda invoke the Rwandan genocide of 1994 and say that the perpetrators of this genocide are located within the Democratic Republic of the Congo, do they give the impression that they are speaking about the Congolese people? They are not speaking about Congolese people but about Rwandans. The Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) they are referring to are in fact Rwandans who fled Rwanda and crossed into the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is because in Rwanda there are only two tribes in conflict with one another. In Rwanda, it is impossible for the two tribes to coexist, whereas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there are 450 tribes living together in perfect harmony. Therefore, the genocidal ideology that Rwanda is attempting to transplant to Congolese soil is fundamentally incompatible with the very DNA of the Congolese people. That is why we maintain that the narrative they are currently propagating may be suitable for Rwanda, but it is certainly not suitable for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The FDLR originated in Rwanda. Some time ago, a prominent Rwandan ambassador stationed in Kinshasa publicly declared that the FDLR no longer posed a threat to Rwanda. This statement is widely available online, and one can easily find and watch the remarks made by this distinguished Rwandan diplomat. It is a cyclical pattern. Today, they will cite the FDLR. Tomorrow, they will raise the issue of hate speech. And the day after that, they will pull yet another card from their deck. Let us address hate speech. A country, armed to the teeth, invades our national territory and massacres our women, our relatives and our children. Yet, it expects us to offer it a speech of welcome? Where has such a thing ever been seen? Rwanda is currently attempting to create the impression that hate speech is a graver offence than the violence itself. How many Congolese have they massacred since occupying Goma, Bukavu or Uvira? Is this comparable to hate speech? But hate speech is precisely the consequence of the massacres they are perpetrating. Hate speech is not the root cause of the situation they are experiencing. They are the very source of that hate speech. I will not dwell on the point. They speak of protecting the Kinyarwanda speakers residing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They speak of the Banyamulenge — these are Congolese citizens, not Rwandans. Simply because these Congolese people happen to resemble Rwandans, they believe they have the right to enter Congolese territory to protect them from Congolese citizens. What sheer audacity. Where has such a thing ever been witnessed — foreigners enter a land and declare that the people in that land resemble their own people, so they are there to protect them? The truth is well known, and it is the exploitation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s natural resources. We are not going to keep quiet about it; we will repeat it. Rwanda now occupies the mines in Rubaya. Rwanda has become an exporter of coltan, which does not exist in the Rwandan subsoil. But the representative just talked about hate speech? Essentially, no one has the right to come and protect the Congolese people on its own territory. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is sufficiently equipped to protect its own people — a country of 450 tribes. Rwanda only has two tribes, and it is unable to manage them. Now it wants to come and manage our 450 tribes? It should have some modesty. I thank you, Madam President, and I apologize for speaking at length. I will not ask for the floor again.

The representative of Rwanda has asked for the floor to make a further statement. I now give him the floor.

I am sorry for taking the floor again. I did not really wish to take the floor, but I think that the issue of hate speech has been raised by several members of the Security Council, and it is a responsibility of the Council to speak to that. When we raise these issues, it is not because we are Rwanda; it is because we have the microphone. There are several people who cannot speak here, who do not have access to this microphone, so we are raising it. Several other members also spoke to that. But it reminded me that during the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, an Ambassador of Rwanda was in the same chair here and could deny what was happening in the country. So, this is a serious matter, not for Rwanda alone but for every Council member here, and we must take it very seriously. During the signing of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region 13 years ago, this matter was raised. Way before, in the 1970s, maybe some of these histories outdate the speakers, the same issue was happening. In the 1980s, the same issue was happening. We are lucky that we have this microphone to speak to that truth. I am very sure that the Special Envoys, when they are speaking to regional leaders, speak about this issue. When they speak about the Democratic Republic of the Congo, they speak about this issue. In my statement, and I spoke in English, which is a foreign language, but I said that those who committed genocide fled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is in my statement. We must take this issue very seriously, not as talking points, not for the cameras, but very seriously. We are dealing with the consequences of the tongue, when words are misused, and I think that many members of the Council spoke to that fact. Let us take it very seriously. We appreciate the ongoing regional efforts. Among the efforts, this issue is raised. From the Washington process to the Doha process, to the Cooperation Framework and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region framework, this issue is on the table. So, it is not about the size; it does not matter. It may be 100 times, 200 times or 1 million times. What matters is that a people is being targeted. The Council must take it seriously. Again, as I said, in 1994, an Ambassador of Rwanda, who was seated in one of these seats, could deny exactly what was happening in the country.

There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. I now invite Council members to informal consultations to continue our discussion on the subject.