“It is the civilian population that will continue to bear the heavy toll of war every day: loss of life, sexual violence, health problems and malnutrition in IDP camps,” said Huang Xia.
The violence is caused by both the armed group M23 as it continues to expand its territory and the so-called Allied Democratic Forces (AFD), whose “terrorist links” and attacks on civilians in Ituri and North Kivu threaten the region, Mr Xia said.
The DRC is now the country with the second highest number of displaced people, after Sudan.
‘Glimmer of hope’
Despite the situation, Mr Xia sees “a real glimmer of hope” for the first time since the revival of the M23 rebel group in November 2021.
“I can testify that therecent peace talks in the context of the Luanda process are encouraging and an important step towards silencing the guns and achieving lasting peace,” he said.
The Luanda Process is a regional initiative led by Angolan President João Lourenço that aims to de-escalate tensions between the DRC and Rwanda.
The ceasefire, signed on July 30, has contributed to “relative calm and, despite some skirmishes, appears to be largely respected.”
‘Three essential paths’
While encouraging steps have been taken, “much remains to be done to end the suffering of the Congolese people and achieve lasting peace in the Great Lakes region,” Mr.
He made a “solemn appeal” to the Security Council to commemorate the crisis in the region and ensure that a ceasefire continues in eastern DRC.
The “three essential paths” to such lasting peace include strengthening mutual trust among countries in the region, increasing inclusivity, especially the full participation of women and youth, and consistent international efforts in support of regional peace processes.
Regional consensus
On his first point on mutual trust, Mr.
“In addition, development initiatives remain crucial,” Mr.
“If the Top of the future concluded with a new global consensus that brings hope, we have once again accepted the collective responsibility to no longer accept the suffering of civilians trapped in endless conflicts,” he concluded.
