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Delivered by Deputy Permanent Representative Ameira Alhefeiti

UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION

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Madam President,

First, I would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, Ms. Martha Pobee, and the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, Mr. Huang Xia, for their invaluable briefings.

I would also like to welcome Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, His Excellency Christophe Apala, in today’s meeting, as well as the representatives of Rwanda and Uganda.

Madam President,

The United Arab Emirates appreciates the convening of this meeting, to hear about recent initiatives aimed at promoting dialogue to address the persistent challenges in the region. We commend the efforts made by the leaders of the East African Community countries to maintain peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the entire region.

We also affirm the importance of the continued commitment of the signatories to the Peace, Security, and Cooperation Framework to address the threats posed by all armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. We reiterate this Council’s call to all stakeholders to constructively engage in the political process launched by the heads of regional states in Nairobi, where the focus should continue to be on political dialogue to achieve a sustainable and comprehensive peace.

In line with the recent press statement of this Council, which condemns the attacks perpetrated by all armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we stress the need to hold accountable the perpetrators of such attacks that target civilians and UN Peacekeeping Missions, and ensure the safety and security of peacekeeping forces. These attacks remind us of the urgent need to address the complex and interrelated security challenges facing the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly in the Easter DRC, in order to achieve sustainable peace.

In conclusion, we affirm our full commitment to support the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), an important partner in maintaining stability in the region, including by its continuous cooperation with the government on the transitional plan for the period 2021-2023. In the context of the implementation of the transitional plan, we stress the importance of preserving and building on the gains achieved so far, particularly on regional diplomacy. Additionally, continued efforts to empower women and youth, as well as maintaining a regional, political, and security environment conducive to achieving stability and contributing to building resilient societies will be critical. The United Arab Emirates looks forward to continuing to work with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and with all member states to achieve these goals. 

Thank you, Madam President.