S/PV.9824 Security Council

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/2024/863, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Members of the Council have before them document S/2024/943, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by France and Sierra Leone. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements before the voting.

Let me begin by acknowledging our strong collaboration and partnership with France as co-penholders on the draft resolution for the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (S/2024/943). As a co-penholder, Sierra Leone also wishes to express its gratitude to all Council members for their positive and constructive approach during the negotiations, which demonstrated a shared commitment to the peaceful resolution of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Apart from reinforcing MONUSCO’s strategic mandate of supporting the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in protecting civilians, stabilizing the efforts of and strengthening State institutions, the draft resolution reaffirms the Mission’s support for ongoing mediation efforts between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda through the Luanda process. Sierra Leone believes in sending a message that the suffering of the Congolese people deserves our urgent attention and that we stand with them in their pursuit of lasting peace. While today’s adoption is critically important for the Congolese people, it is also particularly important for MONUSCO’s continuous support for the Luanda process, including the reinforced ad hoc verification mechanism. However, the recurring threats resulting from the offensive by the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23), together with its territorial expansion, remain deeply concerning. We therefore demand that the M23 ends its offensive activities against the Congolese people and cease its expansion in the east of the country without delay. Given the critical role of MONUSCO in protecting civilians and in supporting the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we thank all Council members in advance for a vote in favour of draft resolution S/2024/943.

France would first like to thank Sierra Leone for the efforts undertaken with us to prepare draft resolution S/2024/943. We would also like to thank all members of the Security Council for their unflagging commitment during the negotiations. Draft resolution S/2024/943 will renew the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) for a further year. The draft resolution reaffirms the Council’s support for the Mission’s priority tasks, starting with the protection of civilians. It will also make it possible to pursue the approach for disengagement called for by the Congolese Government. The Council condemns the obstructions to fulfilling MONUSCO’s mandate and the territorial expansion by the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23), which has dangerously continued in recent days despite the ceasefire with the active operational support of the Rwandan Defence Forces present on Congolese territory. Lastly, the draft resolution reaffirms the Security Council’s full support for the Luanda process. It calls for respect for the ceasefire and the commitments made to achieve a lasting peace between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. France urges the parties involved to continue their negotiations. France salutes the action of the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and expresses its full support for MONUSCO, its valuable work and that of the Special Representative of the Secretary- General in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ms. Bintou Keita.

I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now.

The draft resolution received 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2765 (2024). I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements after the voting.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the three African members of the Security Council, namely, Algeria, Sierra Leone and my own country, Mozambique, as well as Guyana (A3+). Let me begin by expressing our appreciation to Sierra Leone and France for their leadership in steering the discussion on resolution 2765 (2024) just adopted. Resolution 2765 (2024), which renews the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), arrives at a pivotal moment for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region. We voted in favour of the resolution in order to demonstrate our strong commitment to MONUSCO in its efforts to support the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in addressing the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in the eastern part of the country while regional diplomatic efforts are under way to achieve a lasting peace. The A3+ underscores the importance of effective implementation of MONUSCO’S mandate, which is crucial to the stability of the country and to the protection of civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For MONUSCO to succeed, an effective collaboration with the Government of the Democratic Republic is vital, particularly in planning the next steps for the Mission’s withdrawal and in consolidating the drawdown in South Kivu. At the national level, we wish to highlight the critical importance of revitalizing the Nairobi process in order to sustainably address the issue of local armed groups. This is a fundamental component that has to be addressed for all other processes to move forward. Simultaneously, efforts towards the establishment of a robust State presence throughout the eastern regions should be accelerated, as that is vital to ensuring a well-equipped and effective State apparatus capable of administering the territory and countering all forms of threat against civilians. At the regional level, the A3+ emphasizes the critical contributions of such organizations as the African Union, the Southern African Development Community and the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region in addressing the protracted conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The A3+ wishes to reiterate the importance of the leadership role that President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço of Angola, the African Union-designated mediator, continues to play in leading the discussions between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. His efforts embody the principle of African solutions for African problems, a principle that underscores the importance of African-led initiatives in addressing the continent’s challenges. We welcome the significant progress made under the Luanda process, particularly the operationalization of the reinforced ad hoc verification mechanism, the development of its concept of operations and efforts to reconvene the tripartite summit. To build on this momentum, we urge all parties to demonstrate the political will and commitment necessary to achieve a permanent de-escalation of tensions for the benefit of the Congolese and the Rwandan peoples. The A3+ stresses that, while national and regional efforts are vital, the Security Council should continue to play a constructive role in achieving a peaceful settlement of the conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Council’s overwhelming support for resolution 2765 (2024) is proof of a united commitment to peace in the Democratic Republic and the region. The A3+ reaffirms its commitment to working closely with all Council members to swiftly end the conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to support the Government of the Democratic Republic in creating an environment conducive to sustainable peace and stability in the country.

The United Kingdom welcomes the adoption of resolution 2765 (2024), which renews the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), and we thank France and Sierra Leone for their leadership in the negotiations. I would like to make two points. First, the United Kingdom is disappointed at the postponement of the Luanda process Heads of State summit scheduled for 15 December. We remain greatly appreciative of Angola’s mediation efforts and urge all parties to engage with the Luanda process in good faith and deliver on their commitments. Secondly, we are concerned by the surge in violence since 15 December. In this context, the United Kingdom is concerned by the presence of Rwandan Defence Forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as reported by the Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic. We call on the parties to the conflict to refrain from obstructing MONUSCO’s operations.

The Security Council has just unanimously adopted resolution 2765 (2024), which renews the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) for one year. China has always supported the role of MONUSCO in promoting security and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and as such voted in favour of the resolution. I wish to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to France and Sierra Leone for their efforts as co-penholders. At present, the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is at a critical juncture. We appreciate Angola’s tireless efforts to promote the Luanda process and welcome the many outcomes achieved previously by the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda with regard to the implementation of the ceasefire agreement. Although the tripartite summit in Luanda had to be postponed, China remains confident in the process and encourages the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to intensify their dialogue and make sustained efforts to reach a peace agreement leading to a final settlement in the east of the Democratic Republic. We welcome the support expressed in the resolution for the Office of the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes in making additional efforts to promote regional peace initiatives and encourage the Office and MONUSCO to strengthen their coordination and cooperation and continue to work for regional peace. China supports the Democratic Republic of the Congo in safeguarding its national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, as well as its own security and development interests. Resolution 2765 (2024) calls on the United Nations and the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to formulate a tailor-made plan for next steps in the drawdown and withdrawal of the Mission. We hope that in drafting this plan the United Nations will fully respect the reasonable demands and views of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, take an integrated approach in its consideration of the complex situation on the ground, including the risks to the protection of civilians, and ensure that the withdrawal of MONUSCO does not create a security vacuum. The resolution just adopted concerns MONUSCO’s protection-of-civilians mandate. In that regard, I wish to reiterate that China adheres to the three principles of United Nations peacekeeping operations, namely, the consent of the parties, neutrality, and the non-use of force except in self-defence or in defence of the relevant mandate. These principles provide an important guarantee for the success of United Nations peacekeeping operations and are generally supported by the police- and troop-contributing countries. We hope that these principles will continue to be upheld.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as representative of the United States. The United States is pleased to have voted to renew the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) for one year (resolution 2765 (2024)). We thank France and Sierra Leone for their efforts. Resolution 2765 (2024) supports the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s request for a more flexible and gradual approach to MONUSCO’s withdrawal. We look forward to reviewing plans to further define this approach once they are finalized by MONUSCO and the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as called for by the resolution. That said, while we fully support the extension of MONUSCO’s mandate, we remain dismayed that some members of the Council resisted the inclusion of language factually describing Rwanda’s role in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Over the last year, the United Nations Group of Experts has meticulously documented Rwanda’s deployment of 3,000 to 4,000 troops on the soil of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well as its influence over operations of the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23). In the face of such extensive evidence, why are members resorting to euphemisms rather than simply naming Rwanda directly? In order for the Mission to fully implement its mandate and conduct operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it must have an understanding of the reality on the ground. By speaking around these challenges and failing to name the perpetrators thereof, we do a disservice to United Nations and humanitarian personnel who are endangered by Rwanda’s deployment of sophisticated weaponry, Global Positioning System interference and support for the M23. Most of all, we do a disservice to the thousands upon thousands of civilians suffering from the violence. The world looks to the Security Council to describe the facts on the ground, particularly those that could constitute a threat to international peace and security. We are deeply concerned by this week’s reports of M23 advances into North Kivu and seizure of new territory with the support of Rwandan Defence Force (RDF) artillery, RDF troop reinforcement and RDF resupply convoys, which are clear violations of the ongoing ceasefire. We call on all parties to abide by their commitments under the Luanda process and fully support the reinforced ad hoc verification mechanism. We are deeply disappointed that Rwandan President Kagame declined to attend the tripartite summit on peace and security on 15 December, forfeiting a significant opportunity to advance peace efforts and end long-standing suffering in the region. We urge the leaders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to reconvene under the steadfast leadership of Angola as soon as possible. We must not lose sight of how far we have come. Thanks to the hard work of Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and partners in the region and internationally, we have achieved several key milestones since July, with the signing of a ceasefire agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and with the establishment of the Angola-led ad hoc verification mechanism to monitor the ceasefire. Solutions are at hand for neutralizing the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda, commencing the withdrawal of the RDF and initiating discussions with the M23. We urge all to come back to the table and agree to take action on the necessary steps to resolve this conflict and sow the seeds of lasting peace. Let this moment not pass us by.