UN Security Council Public Meeting on the DRC: Statement by H.E. Mrs. Kirsti Lintonen, Permant Representive of Finland to the United Nations, New York 

Security Council
Public Meeting on the DRC
6 July, 2006

Mr. President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.

The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and the EFTA country Norway, member of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this statement.

Let me first thank Ambassador De la Sablière for leading the recent Security Council mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo and for his briefing on the results of the mission. We share the assessment of the situation he presented to the Council on 16 June.

We are indeed at a critical juncture in the history of the DRC: The holding of the first free elections in 45 years represents a milestone, marking the end of the transition period. These elections must fulfil the earnest desire of the Congolese people to select their representatives at different levels of the democratic institutions in free, fair and transparent elections. We fully support the electoral calender set by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for the presidential and legislative elections. We urge all political forces in the DRC to engage in the electoral campaign in a spirit of peace and reconciliation and to hold a responsible debate. In order to create a favourable climate for the elections, we believe that all possible measures must be taken to ensure respect for freedom of expression, including through fair access to the media. At the same time, it is crucial that the media display a responsible attitude.The EU condemns all appeals to hatred and xenophobia – negative messages in the pre-election campaign on the subject of “Congoleseness” must not be repeated in the election campaign.

Successful elections require sufficient security. While this is first and foremost the responsibility of the large DRC police force and the new integrated units of the army, supported by MONUC, to provide security, the EU – upon a request by the United Nations and supported by the Congolese authorities – has decided to deploy an EU military operation (EUFOR RDC) in support of MONUC. The Security Council authorised this operation by resolution 1671 of 25 April and the EU Council of Ministers officially took the decision to launch the operation on 12 June. In addition, the police assistance mission EUPOL Kinshasa is being reinforced during the election period to help the Congolese police forces coordinate their activities. We will thus be in a position to make a significant contribution to creating a more secure environment for the elections. However, it remains the responsibility of the Congolese authorities to ensure protection of all the candidates, preventing attempts of harrassment or restrictions in their mobility throughout the Republic.

Successful elections also require sufficient resources. The European Union and its Member States have to date provided some 250 million EURO (USD 320 mio.) or nearly 80% of the overall cost of the elections. We have full trust in the abilities of MONUC to support the Congolese authorities effectively in the organisation of the elections. Furthermore, in order to verify the correct conduct of the elections and to create trust in the results of the elections, the EU is deploying a large Election Observation Mission. This mission will closely liase with other international observer missions, in particular those from the AU and SADC.

However, successful elections mark only the beginning of the long and arduous process of recovery of the DRC. Nobody should be fooled into believing that the inauguration of a new president and the swearing-in of the members of Parliament will be the end of this process. Equally, strong continued support by the International Community will be necessary long after the elections. In our view, the following are crucial elements for the long-term success of our common efforts to stabilise the DRC:

First, it is important that the election results are accepted by all political players. Conditions in the DRC are such that all those who wish to do so will be able to participate. The EU therefore calls on all the political parties, even those which have chosen not to take part in the elections, to undertake to respect the verdict of the polls. The real test for the success of the democratic process will be the way in which the election results are handled and the way in which the majority deals with the minority. Everyone should look to the future in a spirit of tolerance and reconciliation, a future in which all political forces must participate in the reconstruction of the DRC.

Second, security has to be effective in the whole territory of the DRC. Important progress has been achieved in the field of Security Sector Reform (SSR), with the process of army integration ongoing. Since June 2005, the EU has supported defence reform through its mission EUSEC DR Congo which provides advice and assistance to the Congolese authorities. A key project in this framework addresses the chain of payments, aiming at ensuring that the monthly pay reaches the soldiers. Futhermore, the EU has helped in achieving important results in the formation of the Integrated Police Unit in Kinshasa, inter alia through its civilian police mission EUPOL Kinshasa. However, much still needs to be done and, therefore, the EU is currently drafting a strategy in order to support SSR in the post-election period. The EU urges the Congolese authorities to pursue further army integration as a matter of urgency and to remedy the problems of command, discipline and – in particular – impunity, as well as those of financial management and social support.

The related problem of illegal armed groups in the Eastern DRC needs to remain in the center of attention after the elections. We welcome the increased attention the Security Council has recently paid to the regional dimensions of this problem. The EU stresses the crucial role neighbouring countries can play and underlines the need for strict enforcement of the arms embargo. In this regard, we welcome the Secretary General’s report (S/2006/310) on a strategy to deal with the problems of armed groups operating in the region. We encourage the UN secretariat to continue its work in this field, including on the specific problem of the LRA. We welcome the firm action taken by the International Criminal Court to combat impunity in the DRC and hope that there will soon be progress in apprehending the leaders of the LRA, as well. We commend also the role of MONUC in the disarmament of illegal armed groups in the Eastern DRC. MONUC has paid a heavy tribute in human lives. We expect that MONUC will continue to play its fundamental role for security in the DRC after the elections, long enough to ensure a proper security environment in the Eastern Provinces.

Third, economic development is key to the long-term success of the DRC. The country is rich in natural resources which – if illegal exploitation is halted and they are managed transparently – should provide ample income to bring about a degree of prosperity for the people. Since the Pretoria and Sun City agreements, the International Community has been an indispensable partner of the DRC – it is important that the International Community remain committed to the DRC beyond the election period and that it is given the opportunity to do so. The European Union and its Member States are among the DRC’s main development partners. Since 2002, programs under the Cotonou Agreement have been funded with some 750 million EURO. For the next indicative program from 2008 to 2013, the European Commission will aim to build on the election process with, inter alia, support for poverty reduction, governance, judicial reform and security sector reform. In this regard, the EU expects the new President and Government to govern in the interests of all Congolese and to stand ready to engage with the International Community in a fair and transparent dialogue on governance.

2006 might well be the most significant year for the DRC since independence. The successful holding of the elections will be the first, decisive step in the construction of a new, brighter future for the people of the DRC. In turn, this will also greatly contribute to peace and development in the whole region of the Great Lakes. Together, we have a resonsibility to help the people of the DRC achieve this goal and to stand by them in support of the authorities emerging from the elections, for a long time after the actual election period. The EU stands ready to remain a part of any future engagement by the International Community in the DRC to this end.

Thank you, Mr. President.