\n<\/p>\n
\u201cPeace and security for all, controlling climate change, relaunching the global economy post-COVID economic recovery; combatting poverty and promoting collective well-being\u201d are today\u2019s most pressing challenges, he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Overcoming them will require working in greater concert, with more cooperation and solidarity between States and nations, the DRC leader said in his adress to the opening of the UN General Assembly’s annual high-level debate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Stressing that international peace and security remains the UN\u2019s primary objective, he said that \u201cneither indifference nor impetus on its part\u201d are acceptable \u201cin the face of any threats to international peace and security\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
At present, this question is \u201ccrystalizing around the fight against terrorism as well as calming hotbeds of tension\u201d in Europe and in Africa, he continued.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTerrorism has spared no continent,\u201d said Mr. Tshilombo, adding that having metastasized in Africa, the continent is paying a heavy price.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
He noted that in the name of religious fundamentalism terrorists are barbarically killing innocent people in the East, West, Centre and South of the continent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And while remarkable progress has been made in the Middle East to combat the scourge, it is far from being eliminated.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
As a DRC is victim of terrorism, despite its membership in the Global Coalition against the Islamic State, the President called upon the UN to become actively involved in implementing the recommendations of Coalition and the Aqaba process.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cStatements of intention and proclamations of faith without any vigorous collective action on the ground we never be enough to eradicate terrorism,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The President argued that the DRC has been a victim of a security crisis that has lasted more than 20 years aggression.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite tireless international efforts a massive UN military presence in the DRC and diplomatic support for 23 years, this security problem continues to aggrieve my country,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To eradicate insecurity once and for all and restore lasting peace, and stability in the country\u2019s east, several agreements were signed with armed groups and neighbouring countries along with the creation of national and international mechanisms, but he lamented that a settlement lasted only a few months.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cVery quickly the architecture of those prospects cracked, and the building collapsed,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Head of State drew attention to attacks from neighbouring Rwanda along with what he saw as that country\u2019s support of armed terrorist groups that are ravaging the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In defiance of international law, the UN Charter and the Constitutive Act of the African Union, he said that Rwanda, on 23 March, not only launched a direct military incursion in North Kivu but had also sprovided ”massive” support to the M23 armed terrorist group in occupying localities there.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe M23 with the support of the Rwandan army even shot down a MONUSCO helicopter and killed eight blue helmets\u2026committing a war crime,\u201d he said, referring to the UN peace and stabilization mission in the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr. Tshilombo said that he would continue to \u201ctirelessly denounced\u201d the aggression.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He went on to call for\u00a0increasing pressure on Rwanda and the M23 so that\u00a0<\/span>they\u00a0<\/span>respect the positions taken by international organizations.\u00a0<\/span>Furthermore, he said there must be broad support for the continuation of the Nairobi peace process, the Luanda DRC-Rwanda talks and the deployment of the\u00a0<\/span>East\u00a0<\/span>African\u00a0<\/span>regional force\u00a0<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n In that context, he also urged the intenational commnity to support and <\/span>encourage the former President of Kenya, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Uhuru Kenyatta, and the current President of\u00a0<\/span>Angola<\/span>, <\/span>Jo\u00e3o Louren\u00e7o, Mediators of the East\u00a0<\/span>African Community\u00a0<\/span>(\u00a0<\/span>EAC) and the\u00a0<\/span>African Union\u00a0<\/span>in\u00a0<\/span>the security crisis in the DRC, to continue their good offices.<\/span><\/p>\n He told the Assembly that that Rwanda\u2019s responsibility along with that of its allies, the M23, have been documented in reports by UN-mandated experts and the expanded joint verification mission of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, international humanitarian non-governmental organizations and human rights organization.\u00a0<\/p>\n But, to dispel any doubts and put an end to the denials of Rwandan authorities on the subject, the DRC\u2019s most senior official asked the Security Council President to officially distribute to its members, the latest UN report on the subject.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a question of the very image and credibility of our Organization,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n To proceed otherwise would encourage Rwanda to continue its aggression, war crimes and crimes against humanity in the DRC, he warned, adding that it would also further fuel the Congolese people\u2019s legitimate suspicion surrounding the UN\u2019s impartiality as well as the complicity of some of its members in these crimes.\u00a0<\/p>\nQuestion of image\u00a0<\/h2>\n