Statement by the Republic of Slovenia at the UNSC meeting on the situation in the Great Lakes region

Thank you President.

Special Envoy Xia, thank you very much for your briefing and your efforts to advance dialogue, coordination, and peace across the region. Your briefing today provided a picture of a region at a crossroad – between the risk of prolonged instability and the promise of renewed cooperation.

Mr. President,

I will make three points:

First – the stability in the Great Lakes rests on a shared commitment to regional peace, responsibility, and full respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. These principles are the foundation on which trust, cooperation, and durable security should be built.

No peace can endure when borders are being violated or when armed groups roam freely across them. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC, as well as all other states in the region, must be respected in both word and deed.

The implementation of the Washington Agreement and the Doha Declaration of Principles, together with the convergence of regional mediation under African Union leadership, offers a viable way forward. We remain hopeful that, if honored, these frameworks will lead to silencing the guns, rebuilding trust in the region and offering a peaceful future.

Second – peace will not be durable unless the causes for recurring violence are addressed. The illicit exploitation of natural resources continues to finance armed groups, weaken and undermine governance, and deprive the region of its legitimate wealth. Combined with historical grievances and persistent ethnic tensions, it sustains cycles of mistrust and conflict.

The PSC Framework for the DRC and the Region remains essential for addressing these challenges. Both, its revitalization and implementation are vital to transform political commitments into credible action.

We welcome efforts by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region to strengthen its Regional Certification Mechanism, promote transparency, as well as responsible and lawful resource management. These steps remain crucial toward restoring confidence between states and communities.

Third – people must remain at the heart of all efforts. The human toll in eastern DRC is staggering. We are deeply concerned by the worsening humanitarian situation, marked by rising food insecurity, escalating violence, increasing conflict-related sexual violence, mass displacement, and the collapse of essential services, which places further strain on already fragile system, including health.

We renew our call for the protection of civilians, safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and full respect for international humanitarian and human rights law. Those responsible for violations, regardless of rank or affiliation, must be held accountable. Peace that does not safeguard lives and dignity cannot endure.

Peace must also deliver opportunity. Empowering women and youth as genuine partners in peacebuilding, and turning regional cooperation into tangible prospects for growth, decent work, and sustainable development, are essential to ensure that peace is not only achieved but sustained.

Mr. President,

Slovenia believes that the region’s vast human and natural potential should be resource of prosperity rather than division. The choice is clear: to persist in mistrust or to invest in shared progress. Slovenia stands ready to work with partners to turn the vision of stability and cooperation into lasting reality.

I thank you.

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