MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the forced displacement of people as a result of escalating conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC

22.11.2022 - (2022/2957(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure

Željana Zovko, Tomáš Zdechovský, Michael Gahler, Isabel Wiseler‑Lima, Christian Sagartz, Loránt Vincze, Vladimír Bilčík, Krzysztof Hetman, Magdalena Adamowicz, Andrey Kovatchev, Gheorghe Falcă, David Lega, Tomasz Frankowski, Seán Kelly, Antonio López‑Istúriz White, Vangelis Meimarakis, Luděk Niedermayer, Stanislav Polčák, Sara Skyttedal
on behalf of the PPE Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0507/2022

NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.

B9‑0529/2022

European Parliament resolution on the forced displacement of people as a result of escalating conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC

(2022/2957(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to its previous resolutions on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),and in particular those 11 March 2021 and 16 September 2020,

 

–  having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the EU and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (the Cotonou Agreement),

 

–  having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

 

–  having regard to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights,

 

–  having regard to the fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 1949 and its additional protocols of 1977 and 2005,

 

–  having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC),

 

–  having regard to the UN Secretary-General report on ‘Children and armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (S/2022/745) of 10 October 2022,

 

–  having regard to the statement by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk of 1 November 2022

 

–  having regard to the “Joint Communiqué of the Chair of the African Union and the Chairperson of the AU Commission on the situation in the East of DRC’, African Union of 30 October 2022,

 

–  having regard to the Main results of the EU Foreign Affairs Council of 14 November 2022,

 

–  having regard to Rules 144(5) and 132(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

 

 

1. whereas the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to suffer from systematic and growing cycles of conflict and stubborn violence by armed groups, which worsen a deeply concerning security, human rights and humanitarian crisis, as well as inter-communal and militia violence in areas of the DRC;

 

2. whereas the province of North Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing significant instability due to the resurgent March 23 Movement (M23), which has resumed clashes with the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) in the territories of Rutshuru and Nyiragongo since Marche 2022;

 

3. whereas in recent months more than a dozen civilians have been killed and injured, at least 40 injured and 262.000 are displaced since March, mostly the woman and children in days of renewed fighting between the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and the March 23 Movement (M23) armed group;

 

4. whereas children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to endure a disturbingly high number of grave human rights and International Humanitarian Law violations, including sexual and gender-based violence. including an intensification of armed activities by a growing number of armed groups, particularly in Ituri and North Kivu;

 

5. whereas the recent tensions between Rwanda and the DRC are negatively impacting local peacebuilding efforts in the Great Lakes region;

 

6. whereas the humanitarian situation is deteriorating, especially the recent surge in the number of internally displaced persons in the DRC; whereas the DRC is also hosting refugees fleeing Burundi, the Central African Republic and South Sudan;  whereas there are currently more than 5.7 million internally displaced people in the DRC, the highest figure in Africa and over 990,000 refugees and asylum-seekers live in neighbouring countries;

 

7. whereas the humanitarian actors estimate that 8 million people are currently in need of assistance; whereas the living conditions are unsanitary, camps are overcrowded, without access to drinking water or sanitation facilities with the fear of the resurgence of water-borne diseases which can tip already fragile children into acute malnutrition; whereas the rising insecurity has affected the ability of humanitarian partners to deliver assistance, at times forcing the delay, suspension or relocation of operations;

 

8. whereas the European Commission’s humanitarian budget for vulnerable people in the DRC in 2022 was initially €44m – currently €74.86m (+ €4m budget for the EU Humanitarian Aid Flight/EUHAF;

 

 

1. Reiterates its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the DRC as well as of all other States in the region and emphasising the need to respect fully the principles of non-interference, good neighbourliness and regional cooperation;

 

2. Expresses its deep concern regarding the escalation of violence and the alarming and deteriorating humanitarian situation in the DRC, caused in particular by the armed conflicts in the eastern provinces, which have now been going close to 30 years; deplores the loss of life and expresses its sympathy with the people of the DRC;

 

3. Urges all sides to protect civilians in line with international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including by allowing and facilitating unfettered humanitarian access to all in need, and safe exit for civilians out of areas affected by hostilities;

 

4. Stresses on the importance of the Inter-Congolese dialogue (Nairobi process) and the Luanda trilateral mediation process in preparation for disarmament, demobilization, and community reintegration offered by the Government of the DRC; calls on all actors in the region to stop any support or cooperation with M23 or other non-state armed groups; emphasizes that all state parties of the East African Community (EAC) and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) must uphold the principles agreed through the East African Heads of State Conclave and the Luanda mediation Process;

 

5. Calls for the M23 armed group to stop the fighting, disarm, and join the Inter-Congolese dialogue (Nairobi process) in preparation for disarmament, demobilization, and community reintegration offered by the Government of the DRC.  

 

6. Expresses its strong support for the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO);

 

7. Calls upon the DRC and all States in the region to work towards a peaceful environment conducive to the realization of durable solutions for refugees and internally displaced persons, including their voluntary, safe and dignified return and reintegration in the DRC,

 

8. Expresses great concern over the humanitarian situation that has left an estimated 27.6  million Congolese in need of humanitarian assistance, further expressing deep concern regarding the growing number of internally displaced persons in the DRC with more than 5 million estimated to have been displaced to date, and the 515,000 refugees in the DRC,

 

9. Welcome EU Foreign Ministers agreement on the swift need to renew the EU's strategic engagement on the region  in order to support the region to move from tensions to trust, from trafficking to trade, and from competition to regional integration

 

10. Calls on the EU Delegation to the DRC to continue to closely monitor developments in East DRC; reminds the HR/VP to consider increasing the mediation capacities of the EU Delegation to cooperate with the African Union in order to support a more inclusive political dialogue and prevent the further spread of violence;

 

11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, the ACP-EU Council of Ministers and Joint Parliamentary Assembly, the Secretary-General of the UN, and the UN Human Rights Council, the President, Prime Minister and Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the African Union and its institutions.