The A3+ group (Algeria, Somalia, Sierra Leone, and Guyana) urged Tuesday, during a Security Council session in New York, armed groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo to stop targeting civilians and remove restrictions on the UN stabilization mission in the country.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Caroline Rodriguez, Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN, said “We support the UN Secretary-General’s call to all parties in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly armed groups, to halt attacks on civilians and remove restrictions on UN peacekeeping operations in the DRC.”
During the Security Council session on the situation in the DRC, the diplomat also warned “we remain deeply concerned about the surge in violence against civilians, with a 122% increase in deaths caused by the M23 movement and other armed groups.”
The group also voiced concern over the human rights situation in the DRC, where the UN stabilization mission has documented over 11,000 violations including executions, abductions, and sexual violence.
They called for strengthening the country’s judicial institutions and ensuring protection for journalists, women, and children.
