National Statement at UN Security Council VTC meeting on Great Lakes region

Statement delivered by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Estonia to the UN, Mr. Gert Auväärt

 

Thank you Mr. President,

I would like to thank Special Envoy Huang Xia for his briefing, which highlighted the numerous interconnected challenges present in the region – conflicts with armed groups, human rights violations and abuses, health epidemics, socioeconomic difficulties.

Even under normal circumstances, a coordinated comprehensive approach would be required for addressing their root causes. The wide spread of Covid-19 can act as a risk multiplier in the region (as the council noted yesterday when discussing conflict and hunger) and actions must be taken to ensure that humanitarian actors are coordinated, ready and able to scale-up response efforts. Here, it must be noted that the region is already combating several epidemics, including malaria, ebola and measles. Correspondingly, governments and other stakeholders should prioritize the pandemic response and avoid implementing impediments for the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

 

Mr. President,

Estonia remains concerned over restrictions on basic political freedoms and human rights in several parts of the region. With several elections upcoming this year, we call upon all stakeholders to ensure that the elections remain peaceful, free and credible.

Estonia condemns the violence perpetrated by armed groups in the region, in particular by the group ADF in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The conflicts here continue to be accompanied by high numbers of grave violations and abuses of human rights. During the last year alone, over a million people were displaced from their homes due to conflicts in the Great Lakes region. It is also very worrying to see the increase in conflict related sexual violence, and the number of grave child rights violations.

Perpetrators of such crimes must be held accountable in order to fight the presence of a culture of impunity, which, if left unchecked, will only breed more violence. Rapid and robust implementation of the Nairobi Declaration on Justice and Good Governance would greatly assist in these efforts.

 

Mr. President,

Estonia commends the positive steps taken by countries and stakeholders in the region to alleviate tensions and strengthen relations, and welcomes further efforts in this direction under the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework.

We would also underline the importance of the initiatives promoting the meaningful participation of women in political and electoral processes and advancing the women, peace and security agenda in the Great Lakes region.

Estonia reiterates the call of the Secretary General for all to commit to a humanitarian ceasefire in the current circumstances and to resolve their differences peacefully.

 

Thank you Mr. President.

 

Watch the briefing online – http://webtv.un.org/live/watch/the-situation-in-the-great-lakes-region-security-council-open-vtc/6151367621001/?term=