EU Presidency Statement - The DRC

Mr. President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.

The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the European Union (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia) and the associated countries of Cyprus, Malta and Turkey align themselves with this statement.

The timing of this public session of the Security Council is opportune. It will allow us to assess the present situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), measure UN action in the field, evaluate the practical achievements of MONUC and make proposals for improving this peace-keeping operation in the near future.

The EU welcomes the presence of the SG amongst us today. The EU congratulates the SG's Special Representative, K. Morjane, for his outstanding performance as head of MONUC over the last 20 months. The task of deploying and installing MONUC was by no means easy, but the challenge was taken up with courage and dash. It will not be easy to replace Ambassador Morjane, but the Union urges that this be done without delay, as it would be particularly inappropriate to leave such a strategic post vacant under present circumstances.

The international community hopes for the return to peace and economic relaunching of the Great Lakes Region, especially in the DRC, which is geopolitically a most unusual country, being situated at the center of the African continent and so exceptionally rich in a multiplicity of natural resources whose excessive exploitation by the belligerents is one of the leading causes of the conflict. The international community is very aware that the stability of the region depends on the situation in the DRC.

The EU has never ceased to repeat that only a political solution to the persistent conflict in the DRC is viable. The belligerents' choice of the military option would only lead to further suffering, of which a population already hard-pressed by the years of war has had enough.

Mr. Chairman,

The European Union considers that the window of opportunity, which has opened in the DRC since the beginning of the year is still there despite the real danger of erosion of the situation. In the Union's eyes, the diplomatic efforts of the international community must for the time being concentrate above all on the following:

1. national dialogue;
2. the economic situation of the country and the foreign aid;
3. withdrawal of foreign troops
4. and the process of Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration, Repatriation or Reinstallation (DDRRR) of the armed factions.

Mr. Chairman,

The European Union has taken note of the announcement made by Sir Ketumile Masire of the postponement of the formal start of the Inter-Congolese dialogue to 20 August 2001, as a result of the consultation process now taking place between the team of the facilitator and the entities making up civil society. It is vital that this meeting should be held without further postponement. The dialogue must accompany the implementation of the Lusaka Agreements and is a test of the parties' desire to endeavor to find a lasting solution to the conflict. The EU believes that the participants in this dialogue will set realistic aims and decide on a compact time frame. The facilitator can count on the European Union's support.

The renewed commitment of the international community and the gradual and balanced resumption of cooperation aid in the DRC will be dependent upon the renewal of this dialogue and the progress made in it, as well as on the overall progress achieved in implementation of the Lusaka Agreement.

Mr. Chairman,

On the subject of aid, the Union considers that it is possible to go beyond mere emergency humanitarian aid. For this reason it has decided on a gradual resumption, in other words resumption in line with progress made in the field by its cooperation, and that this should extend to the whole population. The Union welcomes the fact that international financial institutions are currently taking steps in the same direction, and it hopes that other donor countries will also give notice of their participation in these endeavors, for example at the next meeting coordinated by the World Bank.

We wish to underline in this context the need for all humanitarian workers to access all parts of the territory of the DRC.

The EU confirmed, through Poul Nielson, the European Commissioner for development and humanitarian aid who visited the DRC last week, its readiness to disburse 120 million Euros in assistance aid depending on the progress achieved in the peace process and the Inter-Congolese dialogue.

Mr. Chairman,

As the SG's Special Representative K. Morjane has just emphasized, the difficulties currently encountered by MONUC are real, in particular in Kisangani, a town which we hope will become a symbol of national reconciliation. In order to bring this about, immediate demilitarization of Kisangani is indispensable. However, disengagement must also be effective in the rest of the country, and must be in total compliance with the plans approved in Kampala and Harare.

To this end it is necessary to maintain a concerted pressure on all parties and thus put their desire for peace to the test. It is also necessary to encourage bilateral contacts between the various leaders in the region, such as the recent meeting, in the presence of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, between Presidents Kabila and Kagame in the margin of the OAU summit.

Mr. Chairman,

Let us dwell for a moment on the serious problem of DDRRR. The question of a DDRRR plan is vital, because the problem of the armed factions at large in the eastern Congo, with all the dangers of destabilization which that implies, is a key - or indeed the key - to this conflict. Some recent events suggest the possibility that the international community will very shortly be faced with the need to implement a DDRRR plan. The requirements must be known as soon as possible in order to work out an accurate and efficient programme and for the community of donors to be able to contribute.

It is however a complex matter to develop such programmes. We would hope that as the natural body to steer this kind of plan, the United Nations, speaking through its Secretary-General, will provide the necessary impetus to launch it, and that a follow-up mechanism will be worked out to ensure that the preparations are speedily made.

The Council of Ministers (General Affairs) of the European Union has mandated the EU's Special Representative to contact the Secretary-General and ask him to designate a pilot body to draw up and implement a plan.

MONUC's mandate and staff will probably have to be modified in order to carry out such a programme. With the necessary sense of urgency, the Union will press the Security Council to take action on modifying MONUC's mandate where this may be required. For its part, the Union would certainly be one of the major contributors to the establishment of such a programme.

Mr. Chairman,

In conclusion, the EU expresses here and now the hope that the parties to the conflict will make every effort to work for the success of the Lusaka Agreements and will heed the messages going out to them from the international community, headed by the Security Council, the guarantor of peace and international security.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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• EU humanitarian aid for the DRC  (24/1/2002)
• EU Presidency Statement - The Congo (3/5/2001)
• EU humanitarian aid to the Congo (3/3/2001)