Mr. President,

I thank Special Envoy Xia Huang and Ambassador João Samuel Caholo for their briefings, and welcome the presence of the representatives of the DRC and Rwanda at today's meeting. I also listened carefully to Ms. Joséphine Malimukono for her statement.

For some time now, countries of the Great Lakes region have made notable achievements in strengthening regional coordination, maintaining common security, and promoting common development. At the same time, they face multiple challenges such as violent conflicts and humanitarian crisis. The situation in the Great Lakes region affects the overall security of Africa. The international community should provide more constructive support for regional peace and development. I would like to emphasize three points.

First is to maintain the current security of the region. The security issue of the eastern DRC is the challenge that stands out the most in the Great Lakes region. China supports the leaders of Burundi, Kenya, and Angola for their good offices. China welcomes the African Union's invitation this past June of EAC, ECCAS, SADC, and ICGLR for holding a quadripartite summit to push for coordinated regional action. China supports the peacekeeping and security cooperation between regional organizations and the DRC. The countries of the Great Lakes region are a community of nations whose security is interdependent and inseparable. Given the current situation, regional countries should give full play to the Nairobi process and Luanda process and jointly urge armed groups to cease fighting and violence and ease tension through dialogue. China appreciates the good offices Special Envoy Xia Huang conducted over the eastern DRC issue. The Security Council should continue to support the work of Special Envoy Xia and provide necessary assistance to the regional peace process.

Second is to support the UN agencies in playing their effective role. At present, MONUSCO’s future has become the focus of attention of all parties. The presidential statement adopted by the Council yesterday has made arrangements in this regard. In advancing MONUSCO’s transition, we should think deeply how we can improve the work of UN agencies, better respond to the needs of regional countries such as the DRC, and better support the deepening of cooperation between the UN and the region. The Office of the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region should play an overall and coordinating role, have an in-depth understanding of the concerns of regional countries, strengthen coordination with the UN Country Team and other institutions, and jointly support the smooth transition of MONUSCO. China supports Special Envoy Xia in his continued effort to promote the implementation of the UN Strategy and Action Plan for the Great Lakes region and mobilize UN and international community’s resources to achieve more results.

Third is to support the common development of the region. The Great Lakes region is rich in natural resources and has great potential for development. Efforts should be made to support regional countries in increasing cooperation for development and in promoting development for peace. Countries like the DRC, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, and Tanzania have recently achieved positive results in transnational and trans-regional infrastructure building and economic and trade cooperation, continuously bringing closer the ties of regional interests for regional integration and development. Under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative, China has jointly implemented a large number of pragmatic cooperation projects in such fields as energy resources, infrastructure, industrial and agricultural development, science and technology and education to support regional countries for their independent development and regional cooperation. The third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation is being held in Beijing right now. China looks forward to working with relevant parties, including countries in the Great Lakes region, to jointly advance high-quality BRI cooperation to achieve common development and prosperity and contribute more to the lasting peace and development of the region.

Thank you, Mr. President.