The United Kingdom welcomes the Government of DRC and MONUSCO’s continued collaboration in tackling conflict in eastern DRC. We are working closely with Council colleagues to agree a mandate that sufficiently addresses the need for protection of civilians, facilitation of humanitarian activity and support for wider peacebuilding activities.
The UK is seriously concerned by reports of GPS spoofing and jamming and the presence of surface to air missiles in North Kivu, alongside the restriction of MONUSCO’s movements by M23, preventing troop rotations and the delivery of critical supplies.
We call on all parties to the conflict to cease all obstruction of MONUSCO. This prevents the full implementation of the mandate agreed by this Council.
President, over a quarter of a million people have been displaced since August as a result of M23 illegally expanding its territory in eastern DRC. We reiterate calls for the full respect of DRC’s territorial integrity, and condemn, once again, the actions of all armed groups.
The humanitarian situation remains dire, with over 7 million displaced and unacceptable numbers of civilians affected by disease, food insecurity, sexual violence and a lack of basic services. A lack of access to vulnerable populations has compounded the challenges faced by humanitarian actors.
We call on all parties to the conflict to respect international law, prioritise civilian welfare and permit access for humanitarian actors.
Finally, the United Kingdom is deeply appreciative of Angola’s continued mediation efforts and President Lourenço’s personal commitment to the Launda Process. We are heartened by the recent progress and agreement by the Foreign Ministers of DRC and Rwanda on a Concept of Operations.
We call on all sides to show leadership, engage in good faith, and deliver on their commitments.
