I
am delighted to be here today to once again make a
contribution, on behalf of the Democratic Republic of
the Congo, to the debate on the present and future of
humankind. I am especially delighted as this sixty-
ninth session of the General Assembly is taking place
at a time when the international situation is particularly
delicate. If we are not careful, three of its phenomena in
particular will surely delay us in achieving our agreed
goals. I am referring to the issues of terrorism, the
resurgence of Ebola in Africa and the many threats to
peace in various areas around the globe.
Despite the commendable efforts of States and
international organizations, terrorism, an extreme form
of human intolerance, continues to claim victims — as
many in number as they are innocent — around the
world. Africa, which was once spared this type of
senseless violence, is today at its epicentre. The people
of Libya, Mali, Kenya, Somalia, Nigeria and many other
countries in Europe, America and Asia are regularly
bereaved by attacks, hostage-taking and summary
executions. All States Members of our Organization
must face the threat collectively, as a moral obligation
and the only effective strategy to eradicate this
barbarism surely and quickly.
Since the previous session of the General Assembly,
a major public health problem has also hindered Africa
on its path towards development, namely, through the
loss in human lives caused by Ebola in some countries of
sub-Saharan Africa. In less than six months, the disease
has claimed over 2,000 lives, including approximately
40 in my own country. Africa is leading a heroic battle
against the virus. It deserves support.
I am grateful to the international community, which
is aware that, beyond the affected African populations
today, all of humankind is under threat and which has
extended its touching and effective solidarity to the
affected countries. I thank the international community
for its significant technical and logistical support in the
response against the epidemic. In the future, I hope to
see this fine example of human brotherhood prevail
over the blind competition we see so often, and for it to
occur with equal fervour in other sectors.
As for the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
which is being touched for the seventh time by this
scourge, we have not only managed to contain this new
epidemic at its origin — in Boende territory, Equateur
province — but also provided support to the fight
against the epidemic in West Africa. Now that we have
all but mastered the situation within the country, the
Democratic Republic of Congo is ready to once again
send its experts to the other affected countries.
I take this opportunity to announce from this
rostrum that, on the basis of its over 30 years of
experience in the management of Ebola outbreaks, in
October the Democratic Republic of the Congo will
set up multidisciplinary training centres to train health
personnel to respond adequately, in terms of quality
and quantity of care, to the needs of African countries
that have been or could in the future be affected by such
an epidemic.
As for the wars that are engulfing various parts of
the world, including the Middle East, Ukraine, Syria,
Iraq, Libya and the Central African Republic, we
should first recall that the United Nations was created
following a world war, in order to establish mechanisms
capable of preventing, or at least managing, situations
that bring the world only grief and despair; and then
we should ask ourselves why at this point, decades
after the San Francisco Conference, humankind seems
unable to maintain and guarantee peace. Knowing that
in this area any contribution is welcome, I would like to
reaffirm the commitment of the Democratic Republic of
the Congo to working tirelessly for peace and stability
in Africa and around the world. That is the reason for
the presence of Congolese troop and police contingents
in the Central African Republic.
The issue of peace is fundamental because,
without it, humankind cannot realize or implement a
transformative development programme, as the central
theme of this session has it. Nor can that goal be achieved
as long as terrorism is not contained and epidemics
such as Ebola are not defeated. From experience, we
Congolese know that there is no challenge that cannot
be met provided there is the will, the way and the
determination. We all know where my country was
barely 13 years ago. Today I am happy to say that the
Democratic Republic of the Congo is standing on its
feet once more. It is a country where a newfound peace
is consolidated a little more every day; a country whose
economy is one of the most dynamic on the continent,
with an inflation rate close to zero, a growth rate that
has exceeded the African average for almost a decade,
and steadily increasing foreign exchange reserves; a
country undergoing total reconstruction, with roads,
schools, hospitals and much other infrastructure being
built at an unprecedented rate and speed.
On the political front, consolidating democracy
and strengthening national cohesion remain our top
priorities. In that regard, I wish to confirm that our
forthcoming elections will soon be held according to
the schedule set by the relevant national institution, the
Independent National Electoral Commission. Every
effort is bring made to ensure that our country will
emerge from them stronger, more peaceful and more
united.
Regarding security, through the application of a
judicious mix of political dialogue, diplomacy and
military action we have moved steadily closer to the goal
we have set ourselves of banishing negative forces from
our land and thus helping to bring peace to the eastern
part of the country and to our neighbours. In order to
consolidate peace and improve social conditions for the
people, we are working to improve the business climate
so as to stimulate investment, promote greater added
value locally and create more jobs.
As can be seen, my country has resolutely taken the
road of reconstruction, development and re-emergence
and the defeat of poverty, injustice and inequality. It is
an undeniably daunting task, and we still have some way
to go to achieve our ultimate goal. But the people of the
Congo are tackling it with enthusiasm and selflessness,
determined as never before to make our march towards
progress irreversible and to propel the country to a level
of development commensurate with its potential. To do
that, we must preserve stability at all costs, and that is
what we will put the majority of our efforts into from
now on. And we count on the support of our partners in
prioritizing everything that may involve.
Before concluding my remarks, I would like to
reiterate the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s
continuing plea for Africa to be fairly represented in
the decision-making organs of the United Nations,
particularly the Security Council. The fact is that it
does not make sense that Africa, a continent with six
of the 10 fastest-growing economies in the world today,
whose growth rate and youthful population are portents
of future demographic power and whose forests,
freshwater reserves and arable lands make it essential
to the implementation of sustainable development
strategies, does not have a permanent seat within the
entity responsible for ensuring peace and international
security. It is high time that this changed. It is a question
of fairness, and it is also a condition of our collective
effectiveness.