SECURITY COUNCIL PRESS STATEMENT ON DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO, GREAT LAKES REGION

NEW YORK, September 13, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Gary Quinlan ( Australia):

On 12 September 2013, the members of the Security Council heard a briefing via video teleconference by Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region, Mary Robinson, and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Martin Kobler, on the situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The members of the Security Council reiterated their concern on the fragile security situation on the ground.

They commended the joint visit of the Special Envoys and Special Representatives of the United Nations, African Union, European Union and United States, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda from 3 to 7 September in an effort to bolster peace in the region.

They took note of the Declaration of the seventh Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, held on 5 September 2013 in Kampala.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their support for the implementation of the commitments under the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the region, and called upon all signatories to fulfil their commitments in good faith, which is essential to achieving lasting peace and security in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region. In this regard, the members of the Council looked forward to the upcoming meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism scheduled to take place on 23 September in New York.