Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) - Communiqué of the 381st meeting of the Peace and Security Council

By African Union Commission (AUC)
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Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) - Communiqu of the 381st meeting of the Peace and Security Council

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, June 21, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 381st meeting, held in Addis Ababa, on 20 June 2013, considered the report of the field mission that it undertook to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly in Kinshasa and Goma, from 11 to 14 May 2013 and adopted the following decision:

Council,

1. Takes note of the Report PSC/PR/(CCCLXXXI) on the field mission that it undertook to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 11 to 14 May 2013, and commends the steps taken by the Congolese Government to facilitate the conduct of the mission;

2. Notes with concern the persistence of insecurity and humanitarian crisis in North Kivu due to the activities of the armed groups, in particular the M23, the Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the Allied Democratic Forces/National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF/NALU), and strongly condemns all forms of violence committed by these groups against the civilian population and vulnerable groups, particularly women and children;

3. Commends the Congolese Government for the courageous reforms in the military and security services, as well as for the measures taken to improve the conditions of life and work of the personnel of these two key institutions of the DRC, and the efforts deployed to put to an end some negative practices in these institutions;

4. Welcomes the commitment of the Government and all institutions of the DRC to implement the agreements of which the DRC is party, in order to find a lasting solution to the current crisis in the eastern part of the country and promote relations of good neighbourliness and cooperation in the region. Council notes in this regard, the diligence with which the Government has established a national mechanism for monitoring and supervising the implementation of commitments made in the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Region, signed at the AU Headquarters, in Addis Ababa, on 24 February 2013;

5. Takes note with satisfaction, of the current momentum generated in the peace process by the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Region, the appointment of the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Great Lakes region, and the adoption of resolution 2098 (2013) of 28 March 2013 by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC);

6. Calls upon all the other parties concerned to fulfill their obligations and commitments under the peace process;

7. Welcomes the deployment in the eastern DRC, of the Intervention Brigade, as decided by the UNSC, which has the responsibility of neutralizing the negative forces and armed groups, as well as to help reduce the threat they pose to the authority of the State and to the safety and security of civilians. In this context, Council pays tribute to the Governments of the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of Malawi for their commitment to contribute troops for the Intervention Brigade;

8. Underscores the importance of dialogue and political process as the means to bring about durable peace in the DRC and the region. In this respect, Council urges all the concerned parties to resume the Kampala talks as soon as possible;

9. Calls on the Congolese authorities and the governments of the member countries of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to extend their support and to cooperate with the UN Mission for the Stabilization of Congo (MONUSCO) in general, and the Intervention Brigade in particular, to enable them to effectively carry out the mandates entrusted to them by the Security Council resolution 2098;

10. Urges the Congolese Government to intensify its fight against the scourge of impunity and illegal exploitation of natural resources, and in this regard, calls on the international community to assist the DRC to put in place the necessary mechanisms and resources;

11. Notes with satisfaction, the improvement in economic performance realized by the Government, in particular the reforms carried out in all sectors, the bold fight against corruption and the improvement in the business climate. Council welcomes the planned investments by the Government in infrastructure, agriculture and social services, with a view to improving the living conditions of the population;

12. Requests AU Member States and partners to extend full support to the initiative of the Congolese Government to organize national consultations to mobilize political actors and civil society around social and economic development programs being implemented;

13. Decides to undertake another mission to the Great Lakes region, in accordance with the decision taken at its 346th meeting held on 10 December 2012;

14. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

- See more at: http://www.peaceau.org/en/article/communique-of-the-381st-meeting-of-the-peace-and-security-council#sthash.3IJNyKRW.ghr832Oa.dpuf - See more at: http://www.peaceau.org/en/article/communique-of-the-381st-meeting-of-the-peace-and-security-council#sthash.3IJNyKRW.ghr832Oa.dpuf


The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 381st meeting, held in Addis Ababa, on 20 June 2013, considered the report of the field mission that it undertook to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly in Kinshasa and Goma, from 11 to 14 May 2013 and adopted the following decision:

Council,

1. Takes note of the Report PSC/PR/(CCCLXXXI) on the field mission that it undertook to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 11 to 14 May 2013, and commends the steps taken by the Congolese Government to facilitate the conduct of the mission;

2. Notes with concern the persistence of insecurity and humanitarian crisis in North Kivu due to the activities of the armed groups, in particular the M23, the Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the Allied Democratic Forces/National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF/NALU), and strongly condemns all forms of violence committed by these groups against the civilian population and vulnerable groups, particularly women and children;

3. Commends the Congolese Government for the courageous reforms in the military and security services, as well as for the measures taken to improve the conditions of life and work of the personnel of these two key institutions of the DRC, and the efforts deployed to put to an end some negative practices in these institutions;

4. Welcomes the commitment of the Government and all institutions of the DRC to implement the agreements of which the DRC is party, in order to find a lasting solution to the current crisis in the eastern part of the country and promote relations of good neighbourliness and cooperation in the region. Council notes in this regard, the diligence with which the Government has established a national mechanism for monitoring and supervising the implementation of commitments made in the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Region, signed at the AU Headquarters, in Addis Ababa, on 24 February 2013;

5. Takes note with satisfaction, of the current momentum generated in the peace process by the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Region, the appointment of the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Great Lakes region, and the adoption of resolution 2098 (2013) of 28 March 2013 by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC);

6. Calls upon all the other parties concerned to fulfill their obligations and commitments under the peace process;

7. Welcomes the deployment in the eastern DRC, of the Intervention Brigade, as decided by the UNSC, which has the responsibility of neutralizing the negative forces and armed groups, as well as to help reduce the threat they pose to the authority of the State and to the safety and security of civilians. In this context, Council pays tribute to the Governments of the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of Malawi for their commitment to contribute troops for the Intervention Brigade;

8. Underscores the importance of dialogue and political process as the means to bring about durable peace in the DRC and the region. In this respect, Council urges all the concerned parties to resume the Kampala talks as soon as possible;

9. Calls on the Congolese authorities and the governments of the member countries of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to extend their support and to cooperate with the UN Mission for the Stabilization of Congo (MONUSCO) in general, and the Intervention Brigade in particular, to enable them to effectively carry out the mandates entrusted to them by the Security Council resolution 2098;

10. Urges the Congolese Government to intensify its fight against the scourge of impunity and illegal exploitation of natural resources, and in this regard, calls on the international community to assist the DRC to put in place the necessary mechanisms and resources;

11. Notes with satisfaction, the improvement in economic performance realized by the Government, in particular the reforms carried out in all sectors, the bold fight against corruption and the improvement in the business climate. Council welcomes the planned investments by the Government in infrastructure, agriculture and social services, with a view to improving the living conditions of the population;

12. Requests AU Member States and partners to extend full support to the initiative of the Congolese Government to organize national consultations to mobilize political actors and civil society around social and economic development programs being implemented;

13. Decides to undertake another mission to the Great Lakes region, in accordance with the decision taken at its 346th meeting held on 10 December 2012;

14. Decides to remain seized of the matter.