S/PV.4441 Security Council

The Security Council will now continue its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Following consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: “The Security Council notes with concern that the plundering of the natural resources and other forms of wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues unabated. The Security Council strongly condemns these activities, which are perpetuating the conflict in the country, impeding the economic development of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and exacerbating the suffering of its people, and reaffirms the territorial integrity, political independence, and sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including over its natural resources. “The Security Council stresses that: “No external parties, or groups or individuals under their control, should benefit from the exploitation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s natural resources at the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s expense; “The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s natural resources should not serve as an incentive for any State, group or individual to prolong the conflict; “External parties, and groups or individuals under their control, must not use the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to finance the conflict in the country; “The resources should be exploited legally and on a fair commercial basis to benefit the country and people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “The Security Council thanks the Expert Panel for its recommendations on the institutional, financial and technical aspects of the issue, and for its advice on possible measures to be imposed by the Security Council. It reaffirms its support for the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement, and reiterates its commitment to take any appropriate action to help put an end to the plundering of the resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in support of the peace process, once it has been established that such actions will have no serious and unmanageable negative impact on the disastrous humanitarian and economic situation of the country. “The Security Council stresses the importance of continuing the monitoring of the situation regarding the illegal exploitation of the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the link between the exploitation of these natural resources in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the continuation of the conflict, in order to keep the necessary pressure to put an end to the illegal exploitation of the resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including the exploitation of human resources, at the expense of the Congolese people and of the peace process. “Therefore, the Security Council, having heard the views expressed at its open debate on 14 December 2001, requests the Secretary- General to renew the mandate of the Expert Panel for a period of six months, at the end of which the Expert Panel should report to the Council. The Panel should submit an interim report after three months. “The next reports of the Panel should include the following elements: “An update of relevant data and an analysis of further information from all relevant countries, including in particular from those which thus far have not provided the panel with the requested information; “An evaluation of the possible actions that could be taken by the Council, including those recommended by the Panel in its report (S/2001/357) and in its addendum (S/2001/1072), in order to help bring to an end the plundering of the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, taking into account the impact of such actions on the financing of the conflict and their potential impact on the humanitarian and economic situation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; “Recommendations on specific actions that the international community, in support of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, might take, working through existing international organizations, mechanisms and United Nations bodies, to address the issues in the report and its addendum; “Recommendations on possible steps that may be taken by transit countries as well as end users to contribute to ending illegal exploitation of the natural resources and other forms of wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “The Security Council stresses the importance of the panel maintaining a high level of collaboration with all the Congolese players, governmental as well as non-governmental, throughout the national territory. “The Security Council once again urges the Governments named in the previous reports to conduct their own inquiries, cooperate fully with the Expert Panel and take, on an urgent basis, the necessary steps to end all illegal exploitation of the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, by their nationals or others under their control, and inform the Council accordingly. The Security Council also calls on those countries that have not yet provided the panel with the requested information to do so as a matter of urgency.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2001/39. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.