Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2014

I

am delighted to be here today to once again make a

contribution, on behalf of the Democratic Republic of

the Congo, to the debate on the present and future of

humankind. I am especially delighted as this sixty-

ninth session of the General Assembly is taking place

at a time when the international situation is particularly

delicate. If we are not careful, three of its phenomena in

particular will surely delay us in achieving our agreed

goals. I am referring to the issues of terrorism, the

resurgence of Ebola in Africa and the many threats to

peace in various areas around the globe.

Despite the commendable efforts of States and

international organizations, terrorism, an extreme form

of human intolerance, continues to claim victims — as

many in number as they are innocent — around the

world. Africa, which was once spared this type of

senseless violence, is today at its epicentre. The people

of Libya, Mali, Kenya, Somalia, Nigeria and many other

countries in Europe, America and Asia are regularly

bereaved by attacks, hostage-taking and summary

executions. All States Members of our Organization

must face the threat collectively, as a moral obligation

and the only effective strategy to eradicate this

barbarism surely and quickly.

Since the previous session of the General Assembly,

a major public health problem has also hindered Africa

on its path towards development, namely, through the

loss in human lives caused by Ebola in some countries of

sub-Saharan Africa. In less than six months, the disease

has claimed over 2,000 lives, including approximately

40 in my own country. Africa is leading a heroic battle

against the virus. It deserves support.

I am grateful to the international community, which

is aware that, beyond the affected African populations

today, all of humankind is under threat and which has

extended its touching and effective solidarity to the

affected countries. I thank the international community

for its significant technical and logistical support in the

response against the epidemic. In the future, I hope to

see this fine example of human brotherhood prevail

over the blind competition we see so often, and for it to

occur with equal fervour in other sectors.

As for the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

which is being touched for the seventh time by this

scourge, we have not only managed to contain this new

epidemic at its origin — in Boende territory, Equateur

province — but also provided support to the fight

against the epidemic in West Africa. Now that we have

all but mastered the situation within the country, the

Democratic Republic of Congo is ready to once again

send its experts to the other affected countries.

I take this opportunity to announce from this

rostrum that, on the basis of its over 30 years of

experience in the management of Ebola outbreaks, in

October the Democratic Republic of the Congo will

set up multidisciplinary training centres to train health

personnel to respond adequately, in terms of quality

and quantity of care, to the needs of African countries

that have been or could in the future be affected by such

an epidemic.

As for the wars that are engulfing various parts of

the world, including the Middle East, Ukraine, Syria,

Iraq, Libya and the Central African Republic, we

should first recall that the United Nations was created

following a world war, in order to establish mechanisms

capable of preventing, or at least managing, situations

that bring the world only grief and despair; and then

we should ask ourselves why at this point, decades

after the San Francisco Conference, humankind seems

unable to maintain and guarantee peace. Knowing that

in this area any contribution is welcome, I would like to

reaffirm the commitment of the Democratic Republic of

the Congo to working tirelessly for peace and stability

in Africa and around the world. That is the reason for

the presence of Congolese troop and police contingents

in the Central African Republic.

The issue of peace is fundamental because,

without it, humankind cannot realize or implement a

transformative development programme, as the central

theme of this session has it. Nor can that goal be achieved

as long as terrorism is not contained and epidemics

such as Ebola are not defeated. From experience, we

Congolese know that there is no challenge that cannot

be met provided there is the will, the way and the

determination. We all know where my country was

barely 13 years ago. Today I am happy to say that the

Democratic Republic of the Congo is standing on its

feet once more. It is a country where a newfound peace

is consolidated a little more every day; a country whose

economy is one of the most dynamic on the continent,

with an inflation rate close to zero, a growth rate that

has exceeded the African average for almost a decade,

and steadily increasing foreign exchange reserves; a

country undergoing total reconstruction, with roads,

schools, hospitals and much other infrastructure being

built at an unprecedented rate and speed.

On the political front, consolidating democracy

and strengthening national cohesion remain our top

priorities. In that regard, I wish to confirm that our

forthcoming elections will soon be held according to

the schedule set by the relevant national institution, the

Independent National Electoral Commission. Every

effort is bring made to ensure that our country will

emerge from them stronger, more peaceful and more

united.

Regarding security, through the application of a

judicious mix of political dialogue, diplomacy and

military action we have moved steadily closer to the goal

we have set ourselves of banishing negative forces from

our land and thus helping to bring peace to the eastern

part of the country and to our neighbours. In order to

consolidate peace and improve social conditions for the

people, we are working to improve the business climate

so as to stimulate investment, promote greater added

value locally and create more jobs.

As can be seen, my country has resolutely taken the

road of reconstruction, development and re-emergence

and the defeat of poverty, injustice and inequality. It is

an undeniably daunting task, and we still have some way

to go to achieve our ultimate goal. But the people of the

Congo are tackling it with enthusiasm and selflessness,

determined as never before to make our march towards

progress irreversible and to propel the country to a level

of development commensurate with its potential. To do

that, we must preserve stability at all costs, and that is

what we will put the majority of our efforts into from

now on. And we count on the support of our partners in

prioritizing everything that may involve.

Before concluding my remarks, I would like to

reiterate the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s

continuing plea for Africa to be fairly represented in

the decision-making organs of the United Nations,

particularly the Security Council. The fact is that it

does not make sense that Africa, a continent with six

of the 10 fastest-growing economies in the world today,

whose growth rate and youthful population are portents

of future demographic power and whose forests,

freshwater reserves and arable lands make it essential

to the implementation of sustainable development

strategies, does not have a permanent seat within the

entity responsible for ensuring peace and international

security. It is high time that this changed. It is a question

of fairness, and it is also a condition of our collective

effectiveness.