President,

I thank Special Envoy Xia Huang for the briefing. China commends the efforts by the Special Envoy and his office to implement the Security Council's mandate. I also welcome the representative of Burundi to the meeting today.

Recently, progress has been made in the Great Lakes peace process. However, a significant gap between diplomatic commitments and the situation on the ground still remains. The conflict in eastern DRC grinds on, and the Ebola outbreak has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis. The international community must redouble its efforts to help the region return to lasting peace. I will make four points.

First, cease hostilities and urge all parties to fulfill effectively their obligations. Protracted hostilities will only worsen the plight of civilians and undermine diplomatic efforts. Security Council Resolution 2773 explicitly calls for a ceasefire on the ground. The parties concerned should implement it to the letter and refrain from actions that aggravate tensions. China has always supported the DRC's efforts to safeguard its sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. We advocate that legitimate security concerns of countries in the region be resolved through dialogue and consultation. We hope the DRC and Rwanda will move towards the same goal and effectively implement Security Council resolutions and relevant commitments. The international community must urge M23 to cease hostilities and withdraw from occupied areas.

Second, uphold African leadership and strengthen coordination among various initiatives. A lasting solution to the issues in the Great Lakes region cannot be achieved without the unity and the cooperation of regional countries, nor without regional initiatives playing a greater role. The international community should support the AU in establishing a robust platform to de-escalate tensions and promote political dialogue. There's a need to earnestly respect the AU's central role in the regional peace process. Recently, the AU proposed a roadmap to mediate the issue in the eastern DRC and launched new initiatives, including the conducting of field visits, which deserves strong support from the international partners. The Security Council should continue to support Special Envoy Xia Huang in strengthening communication with all parties in the region and carrying out such diplomacy. At the same time, the Special Envoy's mandate should be updated and adjusted in line with the evolving situation to ensure effective fulfillment of the duties and provide greater assistance to the regional peace process.

Third, scale up assistance and address the humanitarian crisis in the region. The conflict has not only led to the displacement of a large number of civilians and widespread food insecurity and hunger in the region, but also made it all the more difficult to contain the Ebola outbreak. The international community should coordinate humanitarian relief efforts with epidemic prevention and control. We urge the parties to the conflict to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access and protect the safety of humanitarian and medical personnel. Since the outbreak of Ebola, China has delivered multiple batches of emergency cash and medical supplies to the DRC, Uganda and the AU, and has dispatched three medical expert teams to the DRC. We call on international partners to continue increasing their financial, material, and technical contributions to help the region overcome the epidemic as soon as possible and restore normal life.

Fourth, address the root causes of conflict and promote lasting stability through cooperation. The ongoing instability in the Great Lakes region is closely linked to historical grievances, ethnic conflicts, development deficits, and illegal mining. To tackle security challenges, the countries in the region must take a long-term perspective, uphold a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security vision, adhere to good neighborliness and friendship, show mutual respect for sovereignty, strengthen cooperation for shared benefits, and achieve common development. The international community should support countries in the region in transforming their natural resource advantages into drivers of development, pursuing development paths suited to their national conditions, strengthening regional economic and trade cooperation, and joining forces to combat illegal mining and resource smuggling. The Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the Region remains an important guide in addressing the root causes of regional conflict. The international community should reinvigorate the framework's momentum.

President, 

On October 13, President Xi Jinping put forward four principles on how to engage in hotspot issues in Africa in a constructive way, as well as a four-point proposal on China-Africa mineral cooperation. This provided very significant guidance to the international community in addressing issues related to Great Lakes region. China shares a deep-rooted traditional friendship with the countries in the region. On the path towards development and revitalization, we support each other and seek cooperation to achieve common progress. In recent years, under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, we have continuously stepped up cooperation with the countries in the region in areas such as trade, economy, infrastructure, mineral resources, and agriculture, helping them to build up their development capabilities. In June 2026, China and the UN organized a training program on capacity building in terms of controlling small arms and light weapons for countries in the region, providing support to regional efforts to curb the illicit proliferation of such weapons. As a good friend to the countries in the region, China stands ready to continue working with all parties to make a greater contribution to achieving lasting peace and prosperity in the Great Lakes region.

I thank you, President.