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Remarks by Ambassador Dai Bing at Security Council Briefing on MONUSCO

2021-12-06 17:15

Mr. President, 


I thank Special Representative Keita and Ambassador Abarry for the briefings. I've also listened attentively to the remarks by Ms. Kalala. I welcome the participation of the DRC representative at today's meeting. 


For some time now, the DRC has maintained political stability, accelerated economic recovery and continued to improve its relations with countries in the region. As the rotating chairman of the African Union, President Tshisekedi has made important contributions to promoting the unity and self-reliance of Africa, and has actively mediated on hotpot issues. Meanwhile, many difficulties and challenges still remain in the DRC’s efforts for lasting peace and security. It is necessary to continue inclusive dialogue, properly resolve differences and maintain stability. It is imperative to have a greater emphasis on national development and people's livelihoods, properly implement the Government's three-year program of action, promote reforms in key areas, improve governance capabilities and achieve national development and rejuvenation.


The security situation is in eastern DRC has deteriorated with frequent activities of armed violence and successive incidents of kidnapping and killing of civilians. The recent violent incidents in areas such as Ituri caused great civilian casualties, including the loss of life of two Chinese citizens. China strongly condemns this. The DRC Government has imposed a state of siege in the eastern regions and launched a joint military operation with Uganda to resolutely combat violent activities by armed groups, demonstrating its firm will and determination to maintain stability. We hope that MONUSCO will maintain coordination and collaboration with FARDC and continue to protect civilians through joint operations and other measures. At the same time, reliance on military means alone cannot completely resolve the problems in eastern DRC. To break the vicious cycle of violent conflict, we must start at the roots of the conflict, carry out regional cooperation, develop and use natural resources in a sound manner, advance the disarmament and demobilization program, and provide local people with more jobs and livelihoods. The new strategy and action plan for the Great Lakes Region provide the logical thinking and implementation path for addressing these problems. MONUSCO should step up coordination and cooperation with the office of the Great Lakes Region to remove factors for regional instability through integrated means. 


DRC is facing a dire humanitarian situation with raging COVID-19 and epidemics such as meningitis and Ebola, and the complete vaccination rate for COVID-19 stands at only 0.1%. There are new flows of refugees in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu. The international community, the international financial institutions in particular, must honor their pledges of assistance and increase inputs to help meet the current challenges. At the opening of the eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held recently, President Xi Jinping announced that China will provide 1 billion doses of vaccines to Africa, seek to have a total of 300 billion US dollars of imports from Africa in the next three years, and implement with Africa nine programs in health, poverty reduction and agricultural development, trade and investment promotion, digital innovation, green development, capacity building, culture and people-to-people exchanges, peace and security. This will inject new impetus into the DRC’s and other African countries’ efforts to fight the pandemic, improve their humanitarian conditions, and achieve post-COVID recovery.


Mr. President, 


Since taking office, Special Representative Keita has led MONUSCO in effectively fulfilling the Security Council’s mandate and advancing progress in its work in all areas. MONUSCO and its military intervention brigade have played an important role in stabilizing the security situation in DRC. And the contributions made by the TCCs and PCCs deserve our recognition. China supports in principle a one-year extension of MONUSCO's mandate. 


MONUSCO has withdrawn from Kasai province and will be pulling out of Tanganyika province in June 2022. In the regions of withdrawal, MONUSCO should work with the DRC Government and the UN country team, among others, in strengthening the handover of responsibilities, coordination and cooperation in accordance with the transition plan and 18 withdrawal benchmarks and risk mitigation measures, carrying out the work in the humanitarian, development and peace sectors in an integrated manner and implementing the drawdown strategy in an orderly, responsible and sustainable way to ensure that the peace gains will not be reversed. 


Mr. President, 


Ambassador Abarry visited the DRC as chairman of the sanctions committee and was fully in touch with the DRC Government and other relevant actors. This has contributed to a deep understanding of the situation on the ground and the DRC Government's concern over the adjustment of sanctions measures. China welcomes the positive results of this visit and appreciates the work done by Ambassador Abarry. The Council should respond positively to the DRC’s concerns and avoid the negative impact of sanction measures on its capacity building in security. 


Thank you, Mr. President.


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