Tented camp for displaced people in Goma. “Time for peace”: UN chief calls for resolution of crisis in DR Congo Peace and security
“Silence the guns. Stop the escalation. Respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke with these words at a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York ahead of meetings to resolve the conflict in the region.
The situation in the eastern part of the DR Congo is critical, the Secretary-General emphasized. The offensive of the M23 rebel group, supported by the Rwandan armed forces, has led to mass casualties and forced displacement of the population.
“Thousands of people have been killed, including women and children, and hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee their homes,” the UN chief said.
Tomorrow, Tanzania will host a summit bringing together the leaders of the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community. The main topic will be resolving the crisis caused by the escalation of the conflict.
Next week, the Secretary-General will travel to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, where he will take part in a meeting of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union. “This crisis will be in the spotlight,” he stressed.
According to the UN, the humanitarian situation in the area around the capital of North Kivu state, Goma, is catastrophic. Many residents of the city have fled their homes. Looting and violence reign in the streets. Healthcare and basic services are on the brink of collapse. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and access to water, electricity, communications and the internet is severely limited. Schools are closed.
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At the same time, other armed groups, both local and foreign, are becoming more active in the region. According to the UN Secretary-General, this leads to “enormous human losses” and massive human rights violations, including sexual violence, forced recruitment into combat formations and obstruction of the delivery of humanitarian aid.
The UN Secretary-General warned that the conflict could engulf the entire region, threatening its stability.
He also expressed condolences to the families and friends of all those killed, including UN peacekeepers and military personnel of the regional forces. “I express my solidarity with the people of the DR Congo, who are once again falling victim to a seemingly endless cycle of violence,” Guterres said.
There is no military solution to the conflict, he said. He called on all parties to implement the commitments they made under the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework.
“It is time for mediation. It is time to end this crisis. It is time for peace,” the UN Secretary-General said.
Guterres stressed that the situation requires urgent and concerted action by all stakeholders – neighbouring states, subregional organisations, the African Union and the UN. “The stakes are too high,” he warned.