DRC: UN support for SAMIDRC conditional on a report due on June 28
To address the unstable and deteriorating security situation prevailing in North Kivu, the DRC is seeking support from the UN to bolster the SADC mission. The Security Council’s position will be known based on the proposals contained in the report that Secretary-General António Guterres will present on June 28, according to an announcement made on Monday, June 3, 2024, by Joonkook Hwang, the permanent representative of the Republic of Korea, who held the rotating presidency of the Security Council for this month.
During the presentation of the UN executive body’s provisional program, the Korean diplomat indicated that his country has never harmed other states and has no hidden agenda in most international peace and security issues. “This helps us to position ourselves on the majority of the Security Council’s agenda items in a constructive and direct manner”, he stated, promising that Seoul will guide the Council with efficiency, transparency, and inclusivity.
The Security Council had expressed its support for providing assistance to regional forces operating alongside the FARDC (Congolese army). It also expressed its intention to consider, if the DRC and the concerned organization (SADC) make a clear and precise request, the conditions under which Monusco could provide limited logistical and operational support to a regional force deployed under the African Union’s auspices in the blue helmets’ deployment area.
A few months ago, the African Union, approached by SADC and the DRC, made this request to the UN Security Council. Several states support this initiative, including Russia, which has expressed its readiness to discuss the parameters of possible assistance to regional forces from Monusco.
“We have taken note of the recent decision by the African Union to place the Southern African Development Community forces under the AU’s auspices. We note the support that SADC is providing to Kinshasa to overcome the crisis in accordance with the principle: African problems – African solutions. It is important to ensure the necessary level of coordination with Monusco and to determine the modalities for joint work”, suggested the Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN on March 27, 2024.
