What's In Blue

Adoption of DRC Sanctions Resolution

The Council seems set to adopt a resolution on Tuesday (29 November) renewing the sanctions regime in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the mandate of the Group of Experts for another year. (On Friday, France circulated a third draft resolution which was subsequently put under silence procedure; this was not broken by Council members and the resolution was put in blue this morning.)

The resolution appears to reaffirm much of the language used by the Council in last year’s resolution regarding the “due diligence guidelines”, which relate to importers and consumers of Congolese mineral products. (Resolution 1952 supported “taking forward” the guidelines developed by the Group of Experts.) It seems this year’s resolution also asks the experts to include in their next report a comprehensive analysis of economic development in mining areas (where the guidelines would have possible effects on the population).

During the Council experts’ meeting on 22 November, several Council members seemed to express the view that while the DRC’s efforts to fight impunity are to be commended, additional language should be added on the country improving and continuing its efforts. Accordingly, the final draft resolution encourages the DRC to take further action to end impunity for violators of human rights and international humanitarian law, with a particular emphasis on perpetrators of sexual violence.

It seems that one issue which was raised during negotiations was adding designation criteria regarding individuals disrupting the current election process in the DRC, although this language was not included in the final text of the draft resolution.

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