15.04.2026 Statement for open briefing on the situation in the Great Lakes Region
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Thank you, Madam President.
And I would like to thank also thank Special Envoy Xia and Executive Director Bahous for their briefings - and for highlighting the transformative potential of women’s participation across the Great lakes region.
Madam President.
Allow me first to address the current critical situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In line with Resolutions 2773 and 2808, as well as the commitments made under the Washington Accords and the Doha Framework for Peace, we urge the parties to immediately implement a permanent and verifiable ceasefire.
In accordance with these resolutions we reiterate the calls on Rwanda to withdraw its troops from the DRC, for the DRC to neutralise the FDLR, and for the M23 to immediately cease its offensive operations and withdraw from all controlled areas.
We reaffirm the centrality of the AU-led mediation track in ensuring harmonisation and coherence among peace efforts in the DRC.
We welcome the efforts of Togo and the AU Panel of Facilitators in this regard.
We commend the ICGLR’s work in consolidating the ceasefire monitoring architecture through the EJVM, with the key support of MONUSCO in line with Resolution 2808.
We encourage the Special Envoy and his Office to continue to support these efforts for peace. We especially urge for the participation of women in the ongoing peace processes, Where, as we have heard today, they are almost entirely absent.
Madam President, turning to regional cooperation,
We welcome initiatives that enhance trust among states, support legal trade, and create shared economic incentives for peace.
In that spirit, we urge the expansion of the Regional Economic Integration Framework to include more countries from the region.
This has the potential to drive economic progress and improve the lives of communities across the Great Lakes.
So has the continued efforts to strengthen transparent natural resource management, as many have mentioned here today.
Madam President,
Denmark is deeply concerned by the deteriorating human rights situation across the Great Lakes region, marked by persistent violations and hate speech.
In eastern DRC, the scale and brutality of violence remains alarming, with armed groups responsible for the majority of abuses, including killings, sexual and gender-based violence, and forced displacement.
At the same time, reports of violations by state actors, as well as targeted abuses against specific communities, underscore the urgent need for accountability and the protection of all civilians without discrimination.
Beyond the DRC, trends across the region point to increasing restrictions on political and civic space.
We underscore the importance of upholding human rights and the rule of law, ensuring accountability for violations, and safeguarding inclusive political processes.
And as we have been reminded today, we need to support women and youth-led CSO’s and protect the civic space. These are essential foundations for sustainable peace and stability in the region.
Madam President,
The path to lasting peace in the Great Lakes region will not be forged through force of arms, but through the steady resolve of cooperation, accountable governance, and a shared determination to address the root causes of conflict.
Denmark stands ready to work with all stakeholders to advance dialogue, strengthen partnerships, and uphold the principles that underpin durable peace.
I thank you.