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Remarks by Ambassador Dai Bing at Security Council Open VTC on MONUSCO

2021-03-30 10:19

Mr. President,

I welcome Ms. Keita's appointment as Special Representative for the DRC and her first briefing to the Council. I look forward to a greater role of MONUSCO and your leadership Ms. Keita in maintaining peace and stability in the country. I've listened to the briefing by Ms. Lusumba as well. I also welcome Charge d'Affaires of the DRC Mission at this meeting.

At present, the situation in the DRC remains generally stable. Meanwhile, the country's political situation is witnessing changes. Violence in the east of the country has continued to escalate and the humanitarian situation is facing serious challenges. The international community should continue to support peace and stability in the country and provide practical assistance based on its needs. In light of the Secretary General's report, I would like to emphasize the following three points.

First, the need to maintain political stability and steadily advance national governance. The DRC's ruling coalition has just undergone a reshuffle. The most urgent task is to form a new government that is inclusive and reflects the popular will so as to ensure the smooth advancement of the country's major agenda. This is the strong yearning of the DRC people, as well as the shared expectation of the international community. The DRC is a major African country with significant influence. China congratulates President Tshisekedi on his assumption of the AU chairmanship and looks forward to a greater role by the DRC in deepening regional and international cooperation.

Second, the need to address security challenges and focus efforts on eliminating the threat of violence. The conflict in eastern DRC has dragged on for decades. The international community has made immense investments. MONUSCO and the TCCs have made great sacrifice. Yet, violent incidents and communal clashes have occurred from time to time. Recently an armed group blatantly attacked a UN convoy, resulting in the unfortunate death of the Italian Ambassador to the DRC and his entourage. China strongly condemns this attack and expresses condolences to the victims. This incident shows once again that only by tackling the root causes of conflicts, using a combination of security and development tools and engaging in regional cooperation, can we break the vicious cycle of violent conflicts.

The new strategy for the Great Lakes region and MONUSCO's drawdown strategy provide a line of thinking for addressing these problems. The Office of the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region and MONUSCO should enhance coordination and work together to implement properly the two strategies, help the DRC turn its resources advantage into a development edge and promote effective cooperation among regional countries in stopping the cross-border movement of negative forces. In MONUSCO's drawdown and withdrawal, full account should be taken of the situation on the ground with detailed planning and close coordination with the local authorities and other UN agencies. The DDR program being developed by the DRC Government will help turn destabilizing factors into a human resource asset, and therefore deserves greater investment.

Third, the imperative to ease the humanitarian crisis and support socioeconomic recovery. Affected by the escalating violence, lack of public services and the impact of COVID-19 and Ebola, the humanitarian situation in the DRC is dire. The DRC is facing severe shocks in its economic and social development. National budget has been drastically cut for this year. The international community must step up its assistance and provide sufficient resources for the DRC humanitarian response plan to help combat the pandemics and alleviate the plight of the local people. MONUSCO has done an outstanding job in assisting the DRC in fighting the Ebola epidemic. It should continue to work with other health-related and humanitarian agencies to help the DRC meet its multiple health-related challenges. The international community should help the country in light of its actual needs to strengthen its capacity for independent development.

China always stands firm with the DRC people, and will work with the international community to actively contribute to the peaceful development of the DRC.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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