WUNRN
WOMEN, PEACE, SECURITY &
DEVELOPMENT IN THE AFRICA GREAT LAKES REGION
_________________________________________________________________________________
United Nations S/PRST/2013/11
Security Council Distr.: General
25 July 2013
Original: English
13-40828 (E) 250713
*1340828*
Statement by the President of the Security
Council
At the 7011th meeting of the Security
Council, held on 25 July 2013, in connection with the Council’s
consideration of the item entitled “The situation in the Great Lakes
region”, the President of the Security Council made the following
statement on behalf of the Council:
“The Security Council reiterates its support
for the implementation of the commitments under the Peace, Security and
Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and
the region (PSC Framework), which is essential to achieving lasting peace
and security in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region.
“The Security Council welcomes in this regard
the actions taken thus far by the signatories and guarantors of the PSC
Framework, including the convening of the first ‘11+4’ meeting of the
Regional Oversight Mechanism of the PSC Framework in Addis Ababa on 26
May 2013 and the two first meetings of the Technical Support Committee in
Nairobi on 24 June and 22 July 2013, which aimed to make progress on the
establishment of benchmarks to assess the implementation of the PSC
Framework by all signatories. In this context, the Security Council looks
forward to the ICGLR summit, scheduled to take place on 31 July in
Nairobi, to further review developments in the region, including progress
on the implementation of the PSC Framework. The Security Council
encourages the UN, AU, ICGLR and SADC and other relevant international
and regional organisations to continue to work together, with the
sustained engagement and support of the international community, towards
the implementation of the PSC Framework. “The Security Council calls on
the DRC and the countries of the region to implement promptly, fully, and
in good faith their respective commitments under the PSC Framework.
The Security Council calls on the DRC to continue and expand security
sector reform, consolidate state authority, make progress on
decentralization, and further the agenda of reconciliation, tolerance,
and democratization. The Security Council calls on all countries of the
region to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
neighbouring countries, not to interfere in the internal affairs of
neighbouring countries, not to harbour persons accused of violations of
international humanitarian law and human rights law or persons listed by
United Nations sanctions regimes, and promote accountability. The
Security Council calls on all countries of the region neither to tolerate
nor provide assistance or support of any kind to armed groups.
“The Security Council welcomes the
establishment of a national oversight mechanism by President Joseph
Kabila of the DRC, as requested by the PSC Framework and Resolution 2098
(2013), and calls on the President of the DRC to ensure transparency and
inclusiveness in this mechanism. The Security Council calls on the
government of the DRC to implement promptly its commitment on security
sector reform, including through the further development and implementation
of a comprehensive military and police reform plan and the formation of a
well-trained, adequately equipped and accountable ‘Rapid Reaction Force’
able to take over the responsibilities of the Intervention Brigade of
MONUSCO (United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the
Democratic Republic of Congo). The Security Council reaffirms in this
context the leading role of the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General in coordinating support for security sector reform
provided by international and bilateral partners and the United Nations
system, and his role in assisting the government of the DRC to implement
its commitments under the PSC Framework. The Security Council also
reiterates that the government of the DRC bears the primary
responsibility for security, protection of civilians, promotion and
protection of human rights, national reconciliation, peacebuilding and
development in the country. “The Security Council reiterates its strong
commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial
integrity of the DRC as well as of all countries of the region and
emphasizes the need to respect fully the principles of non-interference,
good-neighbourliness and regional cooperation.
“The Security Council commends the joint
visit of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the President
of the World Bank Group Jim Yong Kim, accompanied by Special Envoy of the
Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region Mary Robinson, to the DRC,
Rwanda and Uganda from 22 to 24 May 2013 in support of the PSC Framework, and
welcomes the announcement made by the World Bank of $1 billion in planned
funding for development projects in the Great Lakes region aiming at the
recovery of livelihoods to reduce the vulnerability of the people of the
region and the revitalisation and expansion of cross-border economic
activity. In this regard, the Security Council encourages multilateral
institutions and bilateral partners to support the objectives of the PSC Framework
and stresses the importance of swiftly delivering concrete peace
dividends.
“The Security Council commends the personal
diplomatic engagement of the Secretary-General and reaffirms its strong
support to his Special Envoy, Mary Robinson. The Security Council encourages
Special Envoy Mary Robinson, in coordination with and with appropriate
support from the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the
DRC, to continue to lead, coordinate and assess the implementation of
national and regional commitments under the PSC Framework, including
through the development of benchmarks and appropriate follow-up measures
to be presented for adoption at the next meeting of the ‘11+4’ Regional
Oversight Mechanism in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly
in September 2013. The Council further commends her efforts
to include women and civil society in the implementation of the PSC
Framework and to promote the full and effective participation of women in
conflict resolution and peacebuilding, including through the
implementation of a Subregional Action Plan for the implementation of
resolution 1325 (2000). It welcomes in this regard the Regional
Conference on Women, Peace, Security and Development held in Bujumbura on
9-11 July 2013.
“The Security Council condemns the renewed
attacks launched from 20 to 22 May 2013 and again on 14 July 2013 by the
‘March 23 Movement’ (M23) rebel group in the Mutaho area, in the vicinity
of Goma in violation of resolutions 2076 (2012) and 2098 (2013), which caused
civilian casualties and displacements, and undermined regional and
international efforts to peacefully and permanently resolve the crisis in
eastern DRC. The Security Council renews its strong condemnation of the
continued presence of the M23 in the immediate vicinity of Goma and its
attempts to establish an illegitimate parallel administration in
North-Kivu and demands that the M23 fully disband and disarm.
“The Security Council takes note that
hundreds of M23 combatants, including individuals listed by the United
Nations sanctions regime concerning the DRC, fled from the DRC into
Rwanda on 18 March 2013. The Security Council notes with appreciation the
initial steps swiftly taken by the government of Rwanda to handle this situation
and encourages the government of Rwanda to continue to collaborate with
the United Nations and relevant international organizations to ensure
that these combatants are permanently demobilized and are dealt with
according to relevant international law, with special attention to
children and women among them.
“The Security Council expresses concern at
the increased activity of the FDLR (Forces démocratiques de liberation du
Rwanda) in eastern DRC, including reports of attacks by the FDLR on
Rwandan territory, and demands that the FDLR fully disband and disarm.
“The Security Council also condemns the
renewed attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF-NALU) on 11 July
2013 against the FARDC in Kamango and on 14 July 2013 against MONUSCO
forces along the Muba- Kamango axis, which have resulted in 66,000
Congolese refugees and caused casualties among both the FARDC and
MONUSCO.
“The Security Council demands that the M23,
the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), the ADF-NALU,
the Mayi Mayi Kata- Katanga and all other armed groups cease immediately
all forms of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence,
continuing recruitment and use of children, destabilizing activities,
human rights abuses, violations of international humanitarian law, and
attempts to undermine or supplant the
DRC government. The Security Council stresses
that all perpetrators of such abuses and violations should be held
accountable. The Security Council further demands that the members
of all armed groups immediately and permanently disband and lay down
their arms, and calls for the restoration of state authority of the
government of the DRC in eastern DRC. It strongly condemns the large
scale recruitment and use of children by armed groups. The Council emphasises
the renewed commitment of all countries of the region to neither tolerate
nor provide assistance or support of any kind to armed groups.
“The Security Council condemns the widespread
incidents of sexual and gender based violence in the DRC and emphasizes
the importance of effective steps to prevent and respond to such acts. It
further recalls that rape and other forms of sexual violence in armed
conflict are war crimes, and calls for the investigation and prosecution
of those responsible, in order to end impunity for such crimes.
“The Security Council expresses grave concern
about the ongoing humanitarian crisis, including the 2.6 million
internally displaced people and the 6.4 million people in need of food
assistance and emergency agricultural aid, and calls upon all parties to
allow safe and unhindered access for the timely and full delivery of
humanitarian aid to all civilians in urgent need of assistance, in
accordance with relevant provisions of international law, including
international humanitarian law and the United Nations guiding principles
of humanitarian assistance. The Security Council further expresses
concern with the over 500,000 refugees from the DRC in neighbouring
countries and calls upon the DRC and all States in the region to work
towards the peaceful environment that will allow for the eventual and
voluntary return of refugees to the DRC, with the support, as
appropriate, of UNHCR. The Security Council commends in this regard the
support provided by neighbouring countries to refugees from the DRC.
“The Security Council condemns the violations
of international human rights and humanitarian law committed by members
of the FARDC, including the mass rapes committed in Minova on 24 November
2012, and calls upon the government of the DRC to swiftly apprehend,
bring to justice, and hold accountable those responsible for such
violations, regardless of military rank. The Security Council further
calls on the government of the DRC to implement improved vetting mechanisms
and establish more effective judicial mechanisms within its security
forces.
“The Security Council expresses grave concern
about reports of alleged mistreatment of M23 detainees and the
desecration of corpses of M23 combatants by members of the FARDC. The
Security Council welcomes steps taken by the Congolese armed forces and
MONUSCO to investigate these claims and to hold the perpetrators
accountable for these acts, which constitute violations of human
rights and international humanitarian law. The Security Council takes
note of steps taken by MONUSCO to review its support to FARDC Units
suspected of being involved in these incidents in line with the United
Nations Human Rights Due Diligence Policy.
“The Security Council further calls upon the
government of the DRC to continue to implement its action plan to prevent
and end the recruitment and use of children as well as prevent and end
all acts of sexual violence against children by the FARDC.
“The Security Council encourages Special
Envoy Mary Robinson, building on the PSC Framework, to continue to lead a
comprehensive political process that includes all relevant stakeholders
to address the underlying root causes of the conflict and ensures that
those responsible for human rights abuses and violations of international
humanitarian law are held accountable and are not eligible for
integration into the state security forces.
“The Security Council welcomes the
contribution of MONUSCO to a comprehensive approach to addressing the
security situation in the DRC and encourages rapid completion of the
deployment of the Intervention Brigade of MONUSCO. The Security Council
acknowledges the commitment of all troop contributing countries to
MONUSCO to implementing the full range of responsibilities under the
mission’s civilian protection mandate, including the responsibilities
assigned to the Intervention Brigade, in line with resolution 2098
(2013).
“The Security Council recognizes the
significant sacrifices made by MONUSCO and the troop contributing
countries and expresses appreciation for their efforts to improve peace
and stability in the DRC.
“The Security Council condemns all threats or
attacks against peacekeepers and emphasizes that those responsible for
such threats or attacks must be held accountable. The Security Council
recalls in this regard its intention to consider additional targeted
sanctions, in accordance with the criteria set out in paragraphs 3 and 4
of resolution 2078 (2012), and its decision to extend sanctions measures
to individuals and entities who plan, sponsor or participate in attacks
against MONUSCO peacekeepers.”