Statement [Made on Behalf of the Security Council, at the 4441st Meeting, 19 Dec. 2001, in Connection with the Council's Consideration of the Item Entitled "the Situation Concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo"]

S/PRST/2001/39View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Presidential Statement of the Security Council, under agenda item 102 The situation concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo, published in 2001.

What subjects does this mandate have?

4 subjects

Democratic Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo Situation Illicit Traffic Natural Resources

What’s in this document?

17 paragraphs

At the 4441st meeting of the Security Council, held on 19 December 2001, in connection with the Council’s consideration of the item entitled “The situation concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo”, the President of the Security Council made the following statement on behalf of the Council:

“The Security Council notes with concern that the plundering of the natural resources and other forms of wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues unabated. The Security Council strongly condemns these activities, which are perpetuating the conflict in the country, impeding the economic development of the DRC and exacerbating the suffering of its people, and reaffirms the territorial integrity, political independence, and sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including over its natural resources.

“The Security Council stresses that:

– No external parties, or groups or individuals under their control, should benefit from the exploitation of the DRC’s natural resources at the DRC’s expense;

– The DRC’s natural resources should not serve as an incentive for any State, group or individual, to prolong, the conflict;

– External parties, and groups or individuals under their control, must not use the natural resources of the DRC to finance the conflict in the country;

– The resources should be exploited legally and on a fair commercial basis to benefit the country and people of the DRC.

“The Security Council thanks the Expert Panel for its recommendations on the institutional, financial and technical aspects of the issue, and for its advice on possible measures to be imposed by the Security Council. It reaffirms its support to the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement, and reiterates its commitment to take any appropriate action to help put an end to the plundering of the resources of the DRC, in support of the peace process, once it has been established that such actions will have no serious and unmanageable negative impact on the disastrous humanitarian and economic situation of the country.

“The Security Council stresses the importance of continuing the monitoring of the situation regarding the illegal exploitation of the natural resources of the DRC and the link between the exploitation of these natural resources in the DRC and the continuation of the conflict, in order to keep the necessary pressure to put an end to the illegal exploitation of the resources of the DRC, including the exploitation of human resources, at the expense of the Congolese people and of the peace process.

“Therefore, the Security Council, having heard the views expressed at its open debate on 14 December 2001, requests the Secretary-General to renew the mandate of the Expert Panel for a period of six months at the end of which the Expert Panel should report to the Council. The panel should submit an interim report after three months.

“The next reports of the panel should include the following elements:

– An update of relevant data and an analysis of further information from all relevant countries, including in particular from those which thus far have not provided the panel with the requested information;

– An evaluation of the possible actions that could be taken by the Council, including those recommended by the panel in its report (S/2001/357) and in its addendum (S/2001/1072), in order to help bring to an end the plundering of natural resources of the DRC, taking into account the impact of such actions on the financing of the conflict and their potential impact on the humanitarian and economic situation of the DRC;

– Recommendations on specific actions that the international community, in support of the Government of the DRC, might take, working through existing international organizations, mechanisms and United Nations bodies, to address the issues in the report and its addendum;

– Recommendations on possible steps that may be taken by transit countries as well as end users to contribute to ending illegal exploitation of the natural resources and other forms of wealth of the DRC.

“The Security Council stresses the importance of the panel maintaining a high level of collaboration with all the Congolese players, governmental as well as non-governmental, throughout the national territory.

“The Security Council once again urges the Governments named in the previous reports to conduct their own inquiries, cooperate fully with the Expert Panel and take, on an urgent basis, the necessary steps to end all illegal exploitation of the natural resources of the DRC, by their nationals or others under their control, and inform the Council accordingly. The Security Council also calls on those countries that have not yet provided the panel with the requested information to do so as a matter of urgency.”

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