SECRETARY-GENERAL HAILS SECURITY COUNCIL TEXT SETTING OUT COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO INSTABILITY IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, WIDER REGION

NEW YORK, March 29, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General welcomes today's important Security Council resolution on the Democratic Republic of Congo, which sets out a new, comprehensive approach aimed at addressing the root causes of instability in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes region.

The Secretary-General is confident that the resolution will better enable the United Nations to support the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the region, signed in Addis Ababa on 24 February. His Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, Mary Robinson, will work closely with all stakeholders to take this process forward.

The Secretary-General hopes that the strengthening of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) mandate, which also provides for the creation of an intervention brigade to address the problem of armed groups, will contribute to the restoration of State authority and long-term stability in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. He remains personally committed to helping bring peace and stability to the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes region, and will keep working to ensure this remains a top priority for the international community.