S/PV.7800 Security Council

In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite Mr. Said Djinnit, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to the Great Lakes Region, to participate in this meeting. 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/2016/840, 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, and to document S/2016/891, which contains a letter dated 4 October 2016 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council. I now give the floor to Mr. Djinnit.

I have the honour to introduce 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/2016/840), covering the period from 9 March to 20 September. I am overjoyed to deliver this briefing on the Great Lakes region under the Senegalese presidency of the Security Council, which attests to the importance that Senegal continues to attach to the consolidation of peace and stability in that region. (spoke in English) During the period under review, the signatory countries continued overall to make efforts to implement their commitments under the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region, despite outstanding challenges, including the continued presence and activities of negative forces in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Yet, there have been renewed efforts to tackle this persistent problem. The cooperation between the Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was enhanced in carrying out joint operations against negative forces in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, including against the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). In addition, the representatives of the guarantor institutions of the Framework Agreement — the United Nations, the African Union (AU), the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) — conducted a series of initiatives, including regional consultations and field visits, to support efforts to neutralize the negative forces. These led, first, to the convening in Kinshasa of two evaluation meetings of the implementation of the Nairobi Declarations in May and June between representatives of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a delegation of the former Mouvement du 23 mars; and secondly, the holding of a meeting, convened by my Office, of the Ministers of Defence of some States members of ICGLR and SADC, in Nairobi on 20 July, to discuss ways and means of strengthening ongoing efforts aimed at neutralizing negative forces. Furthermore, in implementation of a recent decision of the ICGLR summit in Luanda, concerned countries of the region have also been working on the establishment and operationalization of a joint follow-up mechanism to address the growing threat posed by ADF in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the region. Progress was also achieved in strengthening judicial cooperation in the region and in investigating and prosecuting cases of violations of human rights, including sexual and gender-based violence. I am pleased to note in this regard that, as a result of the joint efforts of my Office, ICGLR, the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Great Lakes Regional judicial cooperation network will be launched in Nairobi on 10 November. The network, comprising representatives of States members of the ICGLR, with the support of regional and international organizations, will contribute to combating impunity in the Great Lakes region by building trust and confidence among member States and promoting the effective implementation of the regional commitments on judicial cooperation. Supporting women, youth and civil society has continued to be an important objective to my Office, as demonstrated by the convening of an important meeting of the Women’s Platform for the Framework Agreement in Goma on 12 July. During the period under review, considerable efforts were deployed to promote inclusive dialogue processes in the region, including in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In liaison with my colleague Special Representative of the Secretary- General Sidikou, and in accordance with resolution 2277 (2016), we have taken a number of initiatives and deployed sustained efforts, including through regular engagements with national stakeholders, as well as regional and international actors, and the establishment of the international support group to promote inclusive dialogue in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as facilitated by Mr. Edem Kodjo on behalf of the African Union. I have also been following closely the situation in Burundi. On 17 October, I visited former President Benjamin Mkapa in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to seek his candid assessment of the status and the challenges faced in the inter-Burundian dialogue. I encouraged him to pursue his efforts aimed at creating conditions for inclusive dialogue under the auspices of the East African Community. I am pleased to note that the facilitator intends to intensify his formal and informal contacts with Burundian stakeholders and the leaders of the region. I further encouraged the efforts of the East African Community on the occasion of a meeting I had with President Museveni in Entebbe on 19 October. Less than a week ago, I was in Luanda for the seventh high-level meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism on 26 October, chaired by President José Eduardo dos Santos. This seventh meeting had a symbolic value, as it was the first to be hosted by a signatory country. The meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism in Luanda was held as a result of the reform process of the governing structures of the Framework Agreement, initiated last year and endorsed by the sixth meeting of the Mechanism in New York in September 2015 and by the sixth Ordinary Summit of ICGLR in June 2016. I am pleased to report that there was a good high- level participation in the Regional Oversight Mechanism in Luanda, which demonstrates the continued interest in and commitment to the Framework Agreement. I wish to express here my sincere gratitude to President Dos Santos for hosting this important event and for setting in motion the process to strengthen the ownership of signatory countries in the implementation of the Agreement. I wish also to thank President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo for the offer to host the next high-level meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism in 2017. Other signatory countries have also expressed interest in hosting future meetings of the Mechanism and its Technical Support Committee. The Regional Oversight Mechanism meeting reviewed and endorsed the progress report on the implementation of the commitments under the Framework Agreement, which was extensively discussed by the Technical Support Committee and the meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs. It also discussed challenges in dialogue and elections processes in the region, notably in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Regional Oversight Mechanism welcomed the signing on 18 October of the comprehensive political agreement on the organization of peaceful, credible and transparent elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; called on all parties to seek peaceful solutions to the political crisis, in line with the constitution of the country and resolution 2277 (2016); and, in this respect, encouraged the Government and other stakeholders to take additional confidence-building measures. I seize this opportunity to reiterate the call of the Secretary-General on the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to continue to engage with all political stakeholders, including those who reject the recent round of talks and the resultant agreement, and to take additional confidence-building measures with a view to seeking an inclusive process. I equally urge all stakeholders to pursue their political objectives through peaceful means and dialogue. Concerning the situation in Burundi, the Regional Oversight Mechanism called on all Burundians to seek peaceful solutions to addressing grievances and to commit to inclusive dialogue, and extended full cooperation to the East African Community facilitator with a view to expediting the dialogue process. The conflict situations in South Sudan and the Central African Republic also featured in the discussions at the Regional Oversight Mechanism. In particular, the Mechanism recognized the potential of the presence of elements of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movemen/Army in Opposition (SPLM-I0) to further exacerbate existing tensions and the security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The leaders urged the region, the States member of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the AU and the United Nations to assist the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in finding a durable solution for the removal of the SPLM-I0 elements from the Democratic Republic of the Congo as soon as possible. On the Central African Republic, the Regional Oversight Mechanism welcomed the efforts of the Government to promote reconciliation and called on all armed groups to engage in dialogue with national authorities so as to ensure peace and stability. In a statement made on that occasion, the Prime Minister of the Central African Republic expressed support and appreciation for the work of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, in a context of renewed tension in some parts of the country. With regard to the negative forces, the Regional Oversight Mechanism endorsed the recommendations adopted at the 20 July meeting of Ministers of Defence and welcomed the establishment of the joint follow-up mechanism on the ADF. Furthermore, the leaders of the region encouraged efforts aimed at promoting the role of women in peace and development processes; welcomed the declaration of the Framework Women’s Platform, issued in Goma on 12 July; and directed their respective national institutions to follow up on its effective implementation. Finally, the Mechanism welcomed efforts aimed at promoting regional economic integration, including the successful holding of the first Great Lakes Private Sector Investment Conference, held in Kinshasa in February 2016, and encouraged follow-up actions to promote the role of the private sector in support of peace and stability in the region. It is my hope that the decisions taken by the Regional Oversight Mechanism Summit last week will be followed by vigorous and decisive action on the part of all stakeholders. This is particularly crucial as developments in the region, including challenges related to elections and the threat posed by negative forces, continue to highlight its fragility. Concerted efforts are needed to avert any reversal of the commendable gains achieved thus far. For my part, I will continue to work with the countries of the region, the guarantors and other stakeholders to ensure appropriate follow- up action of the decisions of the Summit, enhance the implementation of the Framework agreement and encourage cooperation in the region. (spoke in French) I should like to conclude by thanking Council members for their unstinting support for the Great Lakes region and for my efforts as Special Envoy. As the Council is aware, my Office was the subject of a strategic review carried out by the Department of Political Affairs pursuant to resolution 2277 (2016). I hope that the Council will welcome the recommendations emanating from the review, which are aimed at strengthening the smooth functioning and effectiveness of the Office so as to enable it better to assist this dynamic and complex region in the implementation of the Framework agreement and the achievement of its goals of bringing about lasting peace, security and stability.

I thank Mr. Djinnit for his briefing. I shall now give the floor to the member of the Council who wishes to make a statement.

Mr. President, I wish once again to convey to you and your team my delegation’s wish that you will enjoy a very successful presidency of the Security Council during the month of November. I should like first to thank the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes region, Mr. Said Djinnit, for his presence here today and for the information that he has provided us. Almost four years after the adoption of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region, Uruguay would like to acknowledge the efforts and the commitment of the signatories and the guarantors to implement the provisions of the agreement. The convening of several high-level meetings in the past few months, including, inter alia, the sixth Ordinary Summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, held in Luanda in June, as well as last week’s meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region, testify to the validity and the relevance of the provisions of the Framework agreement, which is both a political and a diplomatic platform established to tackle the challenges that loom large over the Great Lakes region. Despite the aforementioned progress in the implementation of the agreement, I should like to stress that the process of achieving lasting peace and security in the Great Lakes region continues to face major political, security and humanitarian challenges. As the report of the Secretary-General (S/2016/840) rightly indicates, the key here is the effective neutralization of the armed groups that are threatening stability. In this context, I would stress the fragile security situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is threatened principally by the actions of the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda and the Allied Democratic Forces. The humanitarian situation in the Great Lakes region is also a source of deep concern. Several countries of the region, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, South Sudan and the Central African Republic, are confronted with grave humanitarian issues, with millions of displaced persons whose most basic humanitarian needs remain unmet. On the political front, the dialogues launched in certain countries of the region have not yet yielded any significant results. Nonetheless, we would reiterate how important it is that in all cases the political dialogue be open, inclusive and peaceful; bring together all stakeholders; and guarantee protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. We must not tire of reiterating that dialogue is the only option for resolving differences. Against that backdrop, Uruguay calls on the Governments of the region and the international community as a whole to pool their efforts to foster political and social stability in the Great Lakes region, with strict adherence to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of neighbouring countries and a renewed commitment not to tolerate, or provide assistance and support of any kind, to the armed groups that are active in the region. They must also ensure the protection of civilians and respect for the human rights of all inhabitants without distinction. Uruguay takes note of the recommendations contained in the Secretary-General’s letter dated 4 October 2016 (S/2016/891) on the strengthening of the role of the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region. On this point, we would like to indicate that my delegation deems several of the recommendations therein to be extremely relevant and deserving of due consideration by the Security Council. Finally, given that today is 2 November, the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, we would like to convey a message of solidarity and express our appreciation for the work done by journalists, especially that which provides us with information on conflicts and political processes. A great deal of that information, given the transparency and passionate sincerity with which journalists carry out their work, is in most cases very useful to the work of the Security Council.

I now invite Council members to informal consultations to continue our discussion on the subject.