New York, May 18, 2026 — The Democratic Republic of the Congo, in its capacity as Coordinator of the African Group in the A3 Security Council, participated in a high-level roundtable discussion on the protection of civilians in peace enforcement and high-intensity conflict contexts.
In his opening remarks, His Excellency Zénon Mukongo Ngay, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the DRC to the United Nations, emphasized that the protection of civilians remains one of the key criteria for the credibility and effectiveness of contemporary peacekeeping operations.
The Permanent Representative noted that civilian populations continue to bear the brunt of armed conflicts, including forced displacement, human rights violations, conflict-related sexual violence, and attacks on critical infrastructure.
The DRC also highlighted the importance of the African Union Policy on the Protection of Civilians adopted in 2023, as well as the need to strengthen cooperation between the African Union and the United Nations, particularly through the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2719.
The DRC and the A3 reaffirmed their commitment to concrete, coordinated, and action-oriented solutions to sustainably strengthen the protection of civilians on the African continent.