DR Congo: Peace is still mostly a promise - MONUSCO Briefing | United Nations

Briefing by Bintou Keita, Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bintou Keita, said “peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is still mostly a promise,” and “will not last if the underlying drivers of conflict are not addressed.” Presenting the Secretary-General’s latest report, Keita told the Security Council in New York that “there are discrepancies between the progress we see on paper and the reality we observe on the ground which continues to be marred with violence.” She stated that the key provisions of Security Council resolution 2773 “remain largely unimplemented,” and despite the Council’s requests, the AFC/M23 armed group has “continued to pursue a logic of territorial expansion and consolidation.” This and other issues, Keita said, underscore “the persisting gap between the decisions of this Council and the realities on the ground.” She called upon the Council “to bring about a permanent ceasefire and a durable peace agreement that will establish stability in eastern DRC,” adding that “only then, will commitments be translated into meaningful progress for the people.” Keita stressed that “illegal mining, looting of natural resources and illicit financial flows continue to fuel violence,” and said, “these activities must be stopped.”


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