UN praises Lourenço's contribution to eastern DRC pacification

 Luanda - The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, on Monday praised the involvement of President João Lourenço in the resolution of the crisis in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

In a statement issued on Monday, to which ANGOP has had access, Guterres highlighted the contacts made by the Angolan President and African Union Champion for Peace and Reconciliation with the rebel group M23, which resulted in the announcement of a ceasefire starting on March 7.

 

The reached ceasefire results from Angolan mediation, in compliance with the decisions of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union on February 17 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

 

He urged the M23 to respect the ceasefire with the aim to create conditions for its full and effective withdrawal from all occupied areas in the east of the DRC, in line with the decisions of the Luanda mini-summit held on November 23, 2022, the statement says.

 

António Guterres, who reaffirmed the UN's continued support for the Luanda and Nairobi processes, condemned the violence against civilians and renewed his call on all Congolese and foreign armed groups to lay down arms and disarm unconditionally.

 

The UN top official called on the parties involved in the conflict to guarantee immediate and unrestricted access for humanitarian relief to the affected population and to secure the protection of civilians and respect for international humanitarian law.

 

The statement adds that the UN chief urged all players to refrain from hate speech and incitement to violence.

 

Early on  Saturday, the head of the peacekeeping mission in the DRC, Bintou Keita, reaffirmed the mission's presence in the areas controlled by the M23 to protect civilians.

 

Keita added that the mission continues to provide support to Congolese armed forces in strict compliance with the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy.

 

Bintou Keita called for the strict respect of the ceasefire announced on Friday, having urged the M23 to withdraw from the occupied areas and disarm unconditionally.