The Secretary-General met today with the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, H.E. Mr. Joseph Kabila.

The Secretary-General welcomed the efforts of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to stabilize the country and work towards its development. He also welcomed the commitment of President Kabila and other leaders in the region to the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework, as demonstrated by their participation in the 4th High-level meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism in New York on 22 September. He stressed that further structural reforms were needed, particularly in the army and governance, and highlighted the importance of regional cooperation.

The Secretary-General emphasised the importance of completing the disarmament of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, as soon as possible, noting that military action should remain an option, if necessary. 

The Secretary-General and President Kabila exchanged views on the upcoming strategic review of MONUSCO, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They agreed on the need for the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to work closely with the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Martin Kobler, and his Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, Said Djinnit.