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S/PV.7923 the Situation in the Great Lakes Region 12/04/2017

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S/PV.7923 the Situation in the Great Lakes Region 12/04/2017 United Nations S/ PV.7923 Security Council Provisional Seventy-second year 7923rd meeting Wednesday, 12 April 2017, 4.35 p.m. New York President: Ms Sison ...................................... (United States of America) Members: Bolivia (Plurinational State of) ..................... Mr. Llorentty Solíz China ......................................... Mr. Wu Haitao Egypt ......................................... Mr. Aboulatta Ethiopia ....................................... Mr. Alemu France ........................................ Mr. Delattre Italy .......................................... Mr. Lambertini Japan ......................................... Mr. Kawamura Kazakhstan .................................... Mr. Temenov Russian Federation ............................... Mr. Iliichev Senegal ....................................... Mr. Ciss Sweden ....................................... Mr. Skoog Ukraine ....................................... Mr. Fesko United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland .. Mr. Wilson Uruguay ....................................... Mr. Bermúdez Agenda The situation in the Great Lakes region 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 (5/2017/208) This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the translation of speeches delivered in other languages. The final text will be printed in the Official Records of the Security Council. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room U-0506 ([email protected]). Corrected records will be reissued electronically on the Official Document System of the United Nations (http://documents.un.org). 17-09932 (E) *1709932* S/PV.7923 The situation in the Great Lakes region 12/04/2017 The meeting was called to order at 4.35 p.m. including the Republic of the Congo and Uganda have offered to host future summits of the Regional Adoption of the agenda Oversight Mechanism. The agenda was adopted. The persistent activities of the illegal armed groups remain one of the main threats to the security of the The situation in the Great Lakes region populations and to the stability of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region. We should Report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Peace, Security and therefore continue to beef up efforts aimed at Cooperation Framework for the Democratic neutralizing the illegal armed groups, including the Republic of the Congo and the Region Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda, the (S/2017/208) Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and others, building on the progress made so far by the armed forces of the The President: In accordance with rule 37 of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the support of Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). to participate in this meeting. In that regard, it is important to further strengthen In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s the cooperation between the two forces. It is equally provisional rules of procedure, I invite Mr. Said Djinnit, important, as stressed in resolution 2348 (2017), that Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great the Force Intervention Brigade, with the support of Lakes Region, to participate in this meeting. MONUSCO as a whole, enhance its offensive operations targeting the armed groups. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I welcome the launching on 18 February by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Tanzania I wish to draw the attention of Council members and Uganda of the Joint Follow-up Mechanism to to document S/2017/208, which contains the report of address the growing threat posed by the ADF. I call the Secretary-General on the implementation of the on the participating countries to contribute actively Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the to that Mechanism and provide it with the necessary Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. resources to allow it to effectively perform its mission. I now give the floor to Mr. Djinnit. Against that background, the recent incursion into the Democratic Republic of the Congo by the elements of Mr. Djinnit: I would like to thank the Security the former Mouvement du 23 mars (M-23) rebel group, Council for the opportunity to brief it on the progress previously cantoned in Uganda, was a setback to the on the implementation of the Peace, Security and commendable efforts deployed by the leaders of the Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic region to address that recurrent problem in the east of the Congo and the Region, and on the challenges to it. of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, through the I would like to begin by highlighting some of signing of the famous Nairobi Declarations in 2013. the progress that has been made in implementing Following that incident, I engaged together with the Framework during the period under review. On Special Representative of the Secretary-General 26 October, as a result of the successful reform of the Sidikou and authorities in the Democratic Republic of governing structures of the Framework initiated by the Congo and Uganda to encourage an early resumption my Office with the support of the other guarantors, of the joint consultations, which we facilitated last Angola hosted the seventh Summit of the Regional year — as the United Nations, together with the Oversight Mechanism in Luanda, the first meeting of guarantors of the Peace, Security and Cooperation the Mechanism to take place in a signatory country Framework — between Government officials and ex- since the Framework agreement was signed four M-23 representatives on the implementation of the years ago. The Summit generated renewed ownership Nairobi Declarations. We shall pursue those efforts. and commitment by the leaders of the region to the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation We have also been assisting the Government of the Framework. I am pleased to report that other countries, Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan to 2/22 17-09932 12/04/2017 The situation in the Great Lakes region S/PV.7923 address the issue of the presence of the Sudan People’s I take this opportunity to commend CENCO’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition elements in laudable work. When it concluded its mediation on the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Similarly, we 27 March, CENCO called for the personal involvement will continue to work closely with the other guarantors of and accountability from the Head of State, as the of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework, nation’s guarantor of the swift implementation of the the countries of the region and partners to tackle the 31 December 2016 agreement. Since then, President daunting challenge of the repatriation of disarmed Joseph Kabila has appointed a Prime Minister. foreign combatants in the east of the Democratic That appointment was met with opposition from Republic of the Congo and neighbouring countries. the Rassemblement des forces politiques et sociales de la République démocratique du Congo acquises Although relations between countries of the region au changement, headed by Félix Tshisekedi and have been affected by the activities of illegal armed Pierre Lumbi. groups, which have generated suspicion and mistrust, the reporting period witnessed promising steps towards I call on the parties to strictly implement the the strengthening of economic cooperation. I encourage 31 December 2016 agreement, in order to create the the signatory countries of the Peace, Security and conditions for the holding of transparent, inclusive and Cooperation Framework to continue to engage in peaceful elections, through dialogue and an ongoing joint development projects that contribute to further quest for consensus. I implore them to refrain from enhancing regional integration and stability. engaging in any action that could spark violence. I reiterate the United Nations readiness to support During the reporting period, my office, together and assist the Congolese parties in implementing the with country teams and the other United Nations 31 December 2016 agreement, in accordance with entities in the region, has continued to support efforts resolution 2348 (2017). In that regard, it is important to address the root causes of conflict in the region, in for the United Nations, the African Union, the Southern line with that mandate. In addition to ongoing efforts African Development Community and the International to support the empowerment of women in the region, Conference on the Great Lakes Region, as guarantor we are currently promoting initiatives on displacement, of the framework agreement to continue to work illicit exploitation of natural resources, youth closely and coordinate their actions to facilitate the unemployment and fighting impunity. jointly with the implementation of the 31 December 2016 agreement. International Conference on the Great Lakes Region I would like to recall that, apart from the Democratic and other partners. Republic of the Congo, Angola, Kenya and Rwanda will (spoke in French) also hold elections in the coming months. I encourage all
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