On the occasion of the presentation of the Secretary-General’s Report on MONUSCO, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, represented by its Permanent Representative, Ambassador Zénon Mukongo Ngay, addressed the Security Council to reaffirm that no lasting peace can be envisaged without strict respect for its sovereignty and territorial integrity. While highlighting the central role of MONUSCO in the ceasefire architecture, the ongoing mediation efforts, and the need for stronger international pressure on the actors destabilizing the region, the DRC also exercised its right of reply following the statement delivered by the Permanent Representative of Rwanda. In that reply, it stressed that no durable solution is possible without dismantling parallel administrations, restoring State authority, and effectively implementing the decisions of the Security Council.
Below is the full statement.
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Mr. President,
The Democratic Republic of the Congo welcomes your presence, Mr. Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser for African and Arab Affairs to President Trump, and thanks Ms. Vivian van de Perre, Deputy Special Representative for Protection and Operations within the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for her briefing. We also take this opportunity to pay tribute to the personnel of MONUSCO, who continue to carry out their mandate under particularly difficult and dangerous conditions.
Allow me also, on behalf of my Government, to extend my most sincere condolences to France, to the United Nations, to the broader humanitarian community, as well as to the biological families of the four persons killed in the incident of 11 March 2026. These include Ms. Karine Buisset, a French national and UNICEF official who dedicated her life to the service of humanity, as well as three other Congolese citizens.
My Government is following the situation very closely. Verifications are under way in order to shed light on the exact circumstances that led to this tragedy, which occurred in Goma, a city currently under the control of the M23 supported by Rwanda.
For the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the protection of civilian populations and humanitarian personnel remains a constant priority.
Mr. President,
I had not wished to intervene at this stage, especially after the position expressed by the A3, of which we are part, but having heard the statement of the Representative of Rwanda, I feel compelled to say something in my national capacity.
Aligning itself with the statement of the A3, the Democratic Republic of the Congo expresses its deep indignation at the continuation of hostilities in the eastern part of its territory, in flagrant violation of the commitments undertaken under the Washington and Doha processes. The Secretary-General’s report is unambiguous: the offensives of the M23 continue with the support of the Rwanda Defence Forces. These facts, established at the highest level of the United Nations, confirm a grave violation of my country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
On the ground, this M23/RDF coalition continues to occupy Congolese localities, establish parallel administrations there, and threaten further military advances. The consequences for civilians are dramatic: hundreds of civilians have been killed, including women and children; millions of people have been displaced; and grave and massive human rights violations continue to be documented, with the M23 identified as the main perpetrator of these abuses.
In Goma and Bukavu, and throughout the territories controlled by Rwandan forces, the life expectancy of young Congolese has fallen to 24 hours — a veritable genocide that must be stopped.
These acts cannot be relativized. They are not mere incidents, but serious violations of international law and a direct affront to the authority of the Security Council.
In this context, the Democratic Republic of the Congo calls for the immediate, full and uncompromising implementation of resolution 2773, notably the withdrawal of the Rwanda Defence Forces from Congolese territory and the immediate cessation of hostilities by the M23. Compliance with the decisions of the Security Council cannot be optional.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo wishes to reaffirm the central importance of MONUSCO as a pillar of civilian protection and stabilization. At the current stage, its role in the ceasefire architecture is decisive. Its participation in the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM+), its support to the ceasefire monitoring mechanism, and its technical contributions are essential elements in ensuring the credibility of the process.
Strengthening MONUSCO’s role in monitoring the ceasefire is indispensable to guarantee transparency, independent verification and the accountability of the parties. In this regard, my country insists on the need to ensure the Mission’s full freedom of movement, the lifting of all restrictions in areas under M23 control, and the provision of adequate resources to enable it to fully carry out its mandate.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo further reaffirms its constant, sincere and good-faith commitment to the ongoing political processes. We remain fully engaged in the Washington and Doha processes, as well as in all regional and international initiatives aimed at achieving lasting peace.
We reiterate our full and unwavering support for the mediation led by the African Union, which remains essential in the search for a political solution. In this regard, we welcome the role of the African Union mediator, commend the Togolese mediator for his sustained efforts, as well as all the facilitators and partners engaged, notably the African Union, the United States, Qatar and regional organizations. We call for renewed efforts, stronger coordination among the various initiatives, and sustained pressure on the parties that continue to violate their commitments.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo also notes with satisfaction the measures adopted by certain international partners, notably the European Union and the United States, through sanctions targeting individuals involved in destabilizing the region. These measures constitute an important signal and must be strengthened in order to put an end to impunity.
Mr. President,
The Democratic Republic of the Congo reaffirms its legitimate right to fully restore its authority over the entirety of its territory. No lasting solution can be envisaged without strict respect for its territorial integrity, the dismantling of parallel administrations, and the effective restoration of State authority.
The position of my Government is clear: there can be no peace without respect for sovereignty, there can be no credible process without the implementation of commitments, and there can be no stability without accountability.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo lacks neither will nor commitment. What is expected today is resolute, coherent and collective action to ensure compliance with the decisions of this Council and to put an end to the suffering of the Congolese people.
The time for declarations of intent is over. The time is for action.
Allow me, in conclusion, Mr. President, without taking up too much of your time, to respond briefly to what the Representative of Rwanda has just said, particularly with regard to the FDLR and hate speech. These are issues to which we have returned many times, and I will not dwell on them.
I simply wish to say that the FDLR Rwanda refers to are Rwandan citizens, and that most of them are located in the territory currently controlled by Rwanda, that is to say eastern DRC, the Goma area and the Bukavu area.
We have agreed to cooperate in this effort in order to bring peace to our country, and we are prepared to fulfill the obligations incumbent upon us in that regard. As for the hate speech they referred to, this is ultimately something that surprises us, because Rwanda allowed itself to invade the territory of an entire country but fears hate speech, while it is carrying out a genocide on the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As for the exploitation of natural resources: it took us thirty years to convince this Council that the minerals exported by Rwanda are extracted from Congolese territory. Thank God the truth has finally prevailed. Today, I believe this Council understands, and we also believe that the international community understands.
Mr. President, I will not take up any more of your time.
I have spoken and I thank you.