UNITED NATIONS, (Xinhua): A Chinese envoy said that the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), known as MONUSCO, must retain its independence.
MONUSCO is led by the UN and implements the mandate of the Security Council, and China supports MONUSCO in playing its role in promoting the peace process in the eastern DRC, said Sun Lei, China’s deputy permanent representative to the UN.
No country should, out of selfish interests, “customize” MONUSCO according to its own political agenda, Sun added.
“The Security Council must uphold the independence, neutrality, and authority of MONUSCO, and adhere to the basic principles governing peacekeeping operations. Only in this way will MONUSCO gain the trust and support of all (UN) member states,” said Sun in an explanation after the council unanimously adopted Resolution 2808 renewing MONUSCO’s mandate for one year.
Recently, the situation in the eastern DRC has taken a sharp turn for the worse. The March 23 Movement (M23) attacked and occupied Uvira, which China finds seriously concerning, he said. “We urge the M23 to implement the requirements of Security Council Resolution 2808, immediately withdraw from Uvira and other cities, (and) stop all military operations and further expansion,” he added.
The mediators should effectively fulfill their duties by using their influence on the M23 and promoting a prompt ceasefire on the ground. The deployment of MONUSCO should be adjusted in a timely manner in light of the situation on the ground to prevent a spillover of the conflict and maintain peace and stability in the eastern DRC and the broader region, said Sun.
China firmly supports the DRC’s efforts to uphold the country’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and supports the DRC in restoring governance and authority in the eastern region of the country at an early date, Sun said. He noted that China stands ready to work with all parties to make greater contributions to peace and stability in the eastern DRC.
