President, MONUSCO peacekeepers and personnel work bravely to deliver this Council’s mandate in the most difficult of circumstances.
The United Kingdom reiterates clearly today that attacks on UN peacekeepers are absolutely unacceptable, and may constitute war crimes.
We also recall that planning, directing, sponsoring or conducting attacks against MONUSCO peacekeepers may constitute a basis for UN sanctions designations.
The UK extends its sympathies to the families of the Blue Helmets from South Africa and Uruguay who have lost their lives serving in MONUSCO, and we extend our best wishes for a full recovery to those peacekeepers who have been injured.
The UK also extends its condolences to the families of all troops from the Southern African Development Community Mission in DRC who have lost their lives in support of DRC’s stability and security.
As we do so, we fully acknowledge that the numbers of those lost and injured is changing by the hour. It is a critical moment for DRC and for the region.
President, I would now like to make three points.
First, the United Kingdom once again condemns the violent actions of all armed groups, including FDLR and M23.
We are deeply concerned by the scale and pace of recent M23 and Rwandan Defence Forces advances in eastern DRC.
In December this Council renewed MONUSCO’s mandate. And in the four weeks since, M23’s unacceptable offensive, and that of the Rwanda Defence Forces, through North and South Kivu, has resulted in the capture of several towns and villages.
As we’ve heard, hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced, and violence has intensified as a result.
We are also deeply alarmed by M23’s declaration that they intend to take Goma, a city where the humanitarian situation is already catastrophic.
The rising number of displaced people resulting from M23’s territorial expansion has placed further pressure on crowded IDP camps and exacerbates the challenges faced by humanitarian actors.
This morning, the UK Foreign Secretary spoke with President Kagame and called for urgent de-escalation, outlining the need for Rwanda and the DRC to urgently return to the negotiating table.
Now, more than ever, it is critical that MONUSCO is able to deliver its mandate. M23 attacks on peacekeepers, with support from the RDF, must stop immediately.
These attacks prevent the force from being able to discharge its Security Council-mandated mission to protect civilians.
Rwandan spoofing and jamming of GPS signals, which obstruct UN and humanitarian operations, must also stop.
We urge all parties to remember their obligations under international humanitarian law.
Finally, President, the United Kingdom once again extends its thanks to Angola for its leadership on mediation efforts.
We encourage DRC and Rwanda to return to the negotiating table and to focus on making tangible progress on delivering on their commitments under the concept of operations.
There can be no military solution. Fighting must stop. Civilians must be protected. And the parties should engage in good faith in the political process.
