United Nations | UN Security Council says Congo must
implement reform
For a brief shining moment (after the death of the M23
rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo), there was a glimmer of hope.
But that positive atmosphere has “vanished,” according to Mary Robinson,
Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region of Africa.
In a video briefing from Kinshasa, Robinson addressed the
15-member United Nation Security Council today. Robinson reported that as
conflicts raged in the Central African Republic (CAR) and South Sudan, the East
Africa region has flared with renewed turbulence. This turbulence has been
marked by three things: deadly attacks in eastern DRC (Democratic Republic of
Congo) by the ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) rebel group, the ongoing crisis in
CAR, and the eruption of fighting in South Sudan.
Robinson said that the Peace, Security and Cooperation
Framework Agreement that was signed in February 2013 remained the “best
chance” to achieve sustainable peace and development in the region.
“However, it is essential that the pace of its implementation
be increased in order to maximize its impact,” she said of the accord.
The accord obligated the Congolese government to
implement reforms and to take steps to establish state authority in the
country’s east while mandating other countries in the region to not aid rebel
groups operating in the DRC, Robinson explained. She called on the accord’s
signatories to expedite implementation of national and regional
commitments. Dialogue among the region’s leaders and confidence-building
measures also were vital, she said.
Robinson the call by Martin Kobler to step up
security sector reform. Kobler also called for the disarmament, demobilization
and reintegration of former M23 combatants, as well as enactment of
cross-border economic initiatives to foster regional economic integration.
Martin Kobler is the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization
Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO). MONUSCO has been
tasked by the UN Security Council to protect civilians and humanitarian
personnel while supporting government-led efforts towards stabilization and
peace consolidation
The situation at the DRC is now at a crucial juncture,
Mrs. Robinson stressed. “However, what is most important for meaningful
progress is the immediate implementation of all commitments at the national and
regional levels in order to bring about concrete peace dividends and lasting
life improvements to the people in the region,” she added.
Kobler also noted that peace in eastern DRC can only be
durable if its root causes are addressed.
“Restitution of state authority alone is not enough,”
Kobler said. “Only regional cooperation and good governance will provide the
peace dividend the population is expecting.”
He cited the need for legalizing the current exploitation
and trade of conflict minerals in order to substantially increase state
revenues.
“Thus, Congo’s natural wealth will help finance the
economic and social challenges of the country,” Kobler said. “Obviously, this
has to be done in partnership with the government of the DRC and neighboring
States, the private sector and with the assistance of the international
community.
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