Topic:
Country: France
Delegate Name: Blake Beckhorn
The matter of internal security and stabilization is of utmost importance to every member state in the United Nations. The very purpose of the United Nations is to maintain and strengthen the security of every nation, as well as the bond between nations, and as this council is its principle organ, this council must work together in order to come to an agreement on how to proceed on our actions in The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as is our job. The history of the DRC is long and filled with turmoil. Modernly, such history began during the colonization of the area that would then become DRC by Belgium; and thus began a period of political instability post-colonialism. Corruption by those in power, by former president Joseph Kabila who jailed his political opponents, most recently by the chief of staff to the current president, Félix Tshisekedi with bribery and embezzlement. In opposition to such figures, there exists over 120 armed groups. MONUSCO’s goal has been to provide stability to DRC, as to promote the safety and security of the Congolese people.
France has recognized the successes of MONUSCO, but also the failures of the operation. The DRC still faces instability in its eastern provinces, as well as humanitarian issues as a result of this conflict. The lack of food and clean water, the lack of medical access, sexual violence and child conscription are all prevalent, even with continued UN peacekeeping. France supports humanitarian aid through the UN as well as individual governmental action. France has promoted the end of child soldiers through the Nairobi Process, as well as peace agreements made in the Luanda Roadmap, including the normalization of diplomacy between DRC and Rwanda.
France wishes to improve the efficacy of MONUSCO, in order to promote stability in the DRC. Such changes would include the cooperation of the government of the DRC with MONUSCO, along with the African Union, along with an increase in resources at MONUSCO’s disposal. France does not believe in persuading individual sovereign nations to provide funding, but rather promote an increase of funding to the mission by all areas. Only in unity will MONUSCO succeed, and thus the preservation of stability and peace in the DRC. France looks forward to cooperating with all, but especially with countries in proximity to DRC, such as Gabon, in harmony with the rest of the council, in order to have global diplomacy.
