The UK is deeply alarmed by the events that have unfolded in eastern DRC.
Since we met on Sunday, M23, with support from the Rwandan Defence Forces, have closed in on Goma. M23 have declared that it is now under their control.
The humanitarian impacts are dire. The advances have displaced close to one million people in North and South Kivu. Civilian casualties are rising.
Hundreds of thousands of people who have already fled from M23’s advances, many of them several times before, are now on the move again, with virtually nowhere safe to go.
How many times must they pack up their lives and flee? The cycle must end.
The UK is also deeply concerned by the limited ability of humanitarian actors to get help to those who need it.
Key humanitarian routes – land, water and air – are closed and hospitals are overcrowded, with staff risking their own lives to provide emergency assistance.
More than 800,000 people in the area who were prioritised for support may no longer receive vital food and nutritional assistance.
We call on the parties not to obstruct the vital services that humanitarians are providing, and to cease hostilities and uphold the protection of humanitarian workers, as required in international humanitarian law.
We also urge all parties to consider essential humanitarian corridors to allow the resupply and delivery of essential life-saving items and the freedom and safe movement of civilians and humanitarian actors.
President, the UK is deeply concerned by the continued endangering of peacekeepers’ lives.
On Sunday I expressed my condolences to the families of the thirteen who have already been killed. Since then, four more peacekeepers have tragically been killed. We urge an immediate end to this violence.
We commend the leadership of MONUSCO and your courage under fire, and we thank you for their vital work.
Finally, President, the UK’s Foreign Secretary and Minister for Africa have spoken with Rwanda at the highest levels, as well as with wider partners in the region.
And we have made clear that there can be no military solution.
We urge all parties to cease hostilities and return to diplomatic talks immediately without preconditions.
We remain committed to ensuring this Council takes the necessary action to support an end to this conflict.
