28 January 2025
President,
I would like to thank you for convening this emergency meeting. I thank DSRSG Vivian Van de Perre for the briefing, and welcome the DRC Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba to the meeting today.
Since the Council’s Sunday consideration of the situation in Eastern DRC, the situation has taken a nosedive. M23 overran Goma, the capital of North Kyiv province, causing massive civilian displacement and increasing the risk of a greater conflict. The developments are deeply worrying.
China reiterates our firm support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC and our opposition to any violation of the UN Charter and international law. China demands M23 to immediately cease all hostilities and withdraw from Goma and other occupied areas. China hopes that Rwanda attaches importance to the calls of Secretary-General Guterres and relevant African countries, stop military support for M23, and immediately withdraw all its military forces from the territory of the DRC. We urge parties to the conflict to abide by international humanitarian law and to protect the safety and security of civilians and civilian infrastructure. Meanwhile, the safety and security of foreign nationals and institutions in the DRC should be protected too.
China once again strongly condemns M23’s attacks against UN peacekeepers. We pay tribute to MONUSCO for sticking the post in the extremely dangerous environment, and support the Mission’s continued activities as mandated by the Security Council, including the protection of civilians. We reiterate that any attacks targeting UN peacekeepers are unacceptable, and urge all parties to refrain from any actions that may endanger peacekeeping camps and peacekeepers.
President,
It should be underscored that there is no military solution to the issue of Eastern DRC and that diplomatic negotiations are the only way out. China supports the leaders of Angola, as well as South Africa and Kenya, among others, in conducting emergency communication with the countries concerned, and welcomes the East African Community’s announcement of a forthcoming emergency meeting. We call on Rwanda and the DRC to return to the track of diplomatic dialogue as soon as possible and to implement the mutual commitments made under the Luanda process, including commitments to neutralizing FDLR. We hope the two countries can actively respond to the mediation efforts of the international community and regional countries and maintain dialogue and negotiations to resolve concerns.
At present, the situation in Eastern DRC is at a dangerous and critical juncture. China supports the Security Council in keeping solidarity and taking necessary actions to create favorable conditions to prevent the situation from worsening and to push for a political settlement.
I thank you, President.