Chinese envoy urges support for Great Lakes countries to strengthen solidarity, cooperation

The international community should support the countries in the Great Lakes region to strengthen solidarity and cooperation for building a common future, said Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, on Tuesday.

For some time now, the countries in the Great Lakes region have actively pursued peace, security and development, giving new impetus to the revitalization of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes region, Fu said at a UN Security Council briefing on the Great Lakes region.

"At the same time, the region still faces multiple challenges, such as continuing violent conflicts and a prominent humanitarian crisis," he said.

Fu called on regional countries to strengthen dialogue and reconciliation and stay committed to peaceful coexistence, work together to address challenges and maintain common security, and alleviate the humanitarian crisis and promote common development.

The countries in the Great Lakes region live side by side with common interests and a shared future, said Fu, adding that resolving differences through dialogue and consultation and promoting good neighborliness serve the long-term and fundamental interests of all regional countries.

"China reaffirms its support for the efforts of the DRC to safeguard its sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security, and is ready to continue its positive role to promote peace and stability in the region," he said.

Fu noted that countries in the region have made joint efforts to combat armed groups and strengthen border and defense cooperation while the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has actively protected civilians. He urged all armed groups in the region to follow the spirit of the ceasefire agreement, silence the guns, stop the violence and maintain the momentum of de-escalation. "All parties concerned should honor their commitments under the frameworks of the Luanda process and the Nairobi process, and refrain from providing support to any armed group."

Fu noted that the DRC and Sudan have seen a large concentration of displaced persons due to the protracted conflict, the spread of the mpox epidemic and the prominent food problem. He called on the international community, especially developed countries, to honor their aid commitments and close the humanitarian emergency funding gap as soon as possible to help more refugees return home.

He also called on the international community to support regional countries in their legitimate exploitation of natural resources to continue to improve their people's livelihood, and increase technology transfer and application to enhance the independent development capacity of regional countries, so as to eliminate the breeding ground for recurrent conflicts.

As a strong supporter and companion of Africa on its road to modernization, China is ready to work with the international community to contribute more to the lasting peace, development and prosperity in the Great Lakes region, Fu said.

(Cover: File photo of China's permanent representative to the United Nations Fu Cong during meeting of the UN Security Council, October 2, 2024. /CFP)