Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2011

Allow me, at the outset, to commend the President of

the General Assembly and his whole team for their

election to the Bureau of the General Assembly at its

sixty-sixth session. We would like to express to his

predecessor, Mr. Joseph Deiss, our gratitude for the

excellent work he accomplished, work that has

benefited our Organization. I also congratulate Mr. Ban

Ki-moon, the Secretary-General, on the renewal of his

mandate.

Taking the floor from this rostrum has always

been for me a special moment and a happy occasion to

recall some current issues of importance to my country

and the world. This moment is all the more special as it

comes at a time when the Democratic Republic of the

Congo is preparing to hold general elections, the

second since those of 2006.

Thus, it is appropriate to grasp the full

significance of this key period for the Congo, because

it confirms a definitive break from the spiral of

violence and instability that has characterized the

country in recent decades. It is seen as a decisive phase

in that, more than ever, it commits the Congolese

people to a lasting democratic culture.

Despite multifaceted challenges punctuating the

electoral process, the National Independent Electoral

Commission, our people and their Government are

doing their utmost to hold transparent and credible

elections in a calm climate. The elections are

ultimately proof of a return to the effective peace for

which Congolese men and women have yearned.

Today, peace and security reign throughout the national

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territory. The Republic’s institutions are all in place

and operating normally.

As peace and security in my country have been

recovered, the United Nations presence merits

reconsideration. Indeed, the role of the United Nations

Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic

Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) must necessarily

adapt its vision and its action on the ground. In that

phase of consolidation, MONUSCO must increasingly

move beyond the strict format of peacekeeping

operations in order to assist the country in its efforts to

develop and to relaunch the economy.

Enormous progress has certainly been made in

the areas of peace and security. However, many other

challenges remain, and the Democratic Republic of the

Congo is determined to meet them. The mobilization

and support of all should be along those lines. I refer in

particular to the following areas of concerns:

strengthening the capacity of the security sector, the

army, the police, the judiciary and penitentiary systems

to ensure the rights and security of citizens and to

stabilize the country and the region; the increasing and

orderly return of displaced persons to their places of

origin and of refugees to their respective countries; the

ongoing demobilization and reintegration of child

soldiers leaving armed groups; effective control over

the exploitation of our natural resources; and building

good-neighbourly relations with the States around us.

In that regard, after several years of conflict the

countries in the region have reached the conclusion

that war is the worst enemy of man and his

development. It exacerbates problems rather than

resolves them. That explains their common will and

our efforts to seek peace at all costs. That is the reality

today. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is at

peace with all its neighbours. Now is the time for

reconstruction and development.

In that regard, I would like to welcome the recent

entry of the Republic of South Sudan as a Member

State of our universal Organization and to convey to its

people my most heartfelt wishes for peace, happiness

and prosperity.

Another challenge that my country must face is

that of maintaining economic growth. Despite a

difficult international climate, today the Democratic

Republic of the Congo shows a positive growth rate

above the African average, and it will continue that

momentum thanks to the efforts to harness its

economy. However, it is also true that such growth

remains dependent, to a large degree, on the global

economy.

Having spoken about the situation in my country,

I would now like to address some big issues of current

concern.

The United Nations has responded to a good

number of challenges that justified its establishment at

the end of the Second World War. In 66 years, the

world has changed greatly, and the pace of change

increases every day.

A great institution such as ours cannot remain

static while its setting constantly changes. The time has

come to envisage adapting the Organization to current

realities so as to improve its effectiveness and, above

all, to bolster confidence among Member States. To do

that, it must make substantial progress in the major

areas of a reform too long awaited, whether the

revitalization of the General Assembly, reform of the

Security Council or the role of the Economic and

Social Council, which needs to be strengthened. A

Security Council that incorporates equally the

legitimate aspirations of developing countries,

particularly those of Africa, would certainly be more

legitimate.

Furthermore, the issues of climate change and the

protection of nature demand a changed approach that

takes into account the aspirations of all peoples. That is

an area where it is prudent to demonstrate a spirit of

compromise and solidarity in the interest, of course, of

all countries.

That is also the case for the crucial goals of

disarmament and the non-proliferation of weapons of

mass destruction, which remain hostage to the policy

of double standards, such as discriminatory practices

and non-compliance with commitments made, in

particular by certain nuclear Powers.

The fight against impunity and against human

rights violations, which is subjected to a selective

approach and the partisan implementation of

international humanitarian law, gives rise to legitimate

doubts about the exploitation of these noble causes for

political ends. Our Organization must address these

issues.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo believes

that the Israeli-Palestinian question should be a major

concern for our universal Organization. The United

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Nations should unflaggingly continue its efforts to find

an equitable solution that bears in mind the legitimate

interests of two peoples, each with the right to live in

peace and security. The Middle East cannot recover

peace and stability without a fair and lasting settlement

of this question.

I would not continue my remarks without

mentioning the more active cooperation that we would

like to see between the African Union and the United

Nations in the area of conflict management. It is

advisable, in my humble opinion, that we strengthen

this cooperation and make better use of it in order to

reduce the number of hot spots on our continent. We all

stand to gain.

I have focused my remarks today on the need to

strengthen peace. That is the essential precondition for

all progress, but a peace limited to an absence of

stomping boots is not peace. Without ignoring the

successes, it must be said that in this area our

Organization still has an enormous amount to do to

ensure that each and every person is able to participate

in the progress of all of humanity.

I conclude by renewing our wishes to see the

concept and management of international affairs

modified through an effective and sincere commitment

of the entire community of nations for a renewal and

strengthening of the multilateral system.