Congo-Kinshasa: Secretary of State Marco Rubio at Declaration of Concepts Signing Ceremony

Washington, DC — SECRETARY RUBIO:   Thank you interested in being here as of late.  It’s – I’m honored to be here with my counterparts, the foreign ministers of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, for the – to appear the Declaration of Concepts for peace within the eastern DRC.  It’s a declaration that establishes a fundamental belief of regional governance, security, economic frameworks, and to full the combating and permit the place of dwelling to be triumphant in its stout doable.

The United States Hosts Signing of Declaration of Concepts Between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Government of Rwanda

The eastern portion of the Democratic Republic has considered 30 years of struggle.  Durable peace and long-lasting economic style is rarely any longer going to be easy, but it’s far mandatory.  And having each and every of my counterparts here, the foreign ministers of these respective nations, demonstrates the starting place of a solid dedication to having the conversations that we possess got to possess in show to be triumphant in a resolution.

I’m proud to work for a President who’s made peace, accept world peace, a priority of this administration, and as of late is evidence of that.  He needs to survey a quiet resolution in lots of formula of the arena, but he needs to survey a quiet resolution here, and we want to play a positive, productive, and demanding and key role in making scoot that that can happen.  And a sturdy peace within the Great Lakes place of dwelling will originate the door for greater U.S. and broader Western funding, that will consequence in economic alternatives and prosperity.  And this might per chance occasionally furthermore attend reach President Trump’s prosperity agenda for the arena.  It’s, as they call it, a derive-derive for all individuals interested – for the United States, for the Democratic Republic of Congo, and for Rwanda.

Our firms are simply corporate residents, American firms, and so that they’ll bid simply governance and make certain guilty, professional present chains for things treasure crucial minerals that serve regional governments and our companions and allies as neatly.  This economic style, mixed with sturdy peace – and I’d say sturdy peace comes sooner than economic style; or no longer it’s very unlikely to attain without the peace – this might per chance occasionally furthermore allow hundreds of thousands of displaced of us to come to their properties, to safer communities with unique economic alternatives that possess escaped generations.

The African Union and regional economic communities in Africa possess executed implausible work, and we possess got to acknowledge that in bringing occasions together and laying the foundation for these talks.  Our authorities here is fascinated about energizing these efforts.  So we are going to be in shut contact with our African Union companions to make certain we can bid this to fruition and to survey that this better future reaches all individuals.

I attain want to severely thank our senior advisor, Mr. Boulos, and his counterparts within the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, for his or her imaginative and prescient and for his or her onerous work.  This present day is a step to building a quiet, affluent Great Lakes place of dwelling, and we sit up for working with all individuals interested to fabricate this scheme.  Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER WAGNER:   Perfect, thanks.  Mr. Secretary —

SECRETARY RUBIO:   My apologies.  I have to possess grew to turn into to you rather than – I hiss regret.

FOREIGN MINISTER WAGNER:   No worries.  (Laughter.)

SECRETARY RUBIO:   I used to be taking a look —

FOREIGN MINISTER WAGNER:   No worries.  Thank you.  Mr. Secretary of State, Honorable Senator Marco Rubio, His Excellency Mr. Olivier Nduhungirehe, Minister of International Affairs of the Republic of Rwanda, excellencies, celebrated guests, ladies and gentlemen:  This present day marks no longer an stop but a starting place, a obligatory step in direction of peace taken with unravel and reason.  This second carries hiss weight for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  In Goma, in Bukavu, and beyond, the very fact of displacement, insecurity, and hardship continues.  For us, the urgency of this initiative is rarely any longer theoretical; it’s far human.

We signal this Declaration of Concepts no longer as a symbolic gesture but as a political dedication : the reaffirmation of principles enshrined in international legislation and most no longer too long ago echoed within the UN Safety Council Resolution 2773, a resolution calling for the immediate, unconditional, and verifiable of withdraw of all foreign troops from sovereign territory of the DRC.  We are positive within the Great Lakes place of dwelling peace have to come first, followed by the rebuilding of have faith, after which – utterly when prerequisites are simply – the careful reopening of a path to meaningful bilateral cooperation.  Too many past efforts possess failed because sequencing used to be overlooked and accountability postponed.  Peace and charm cannot rely utterly on simply intentions.  They have to be constructed on responsibility, positive commitments, measurable timelines, and consequences for noncompliance.  Right here’s the utterly option to revive credibility no longer proper among states but with the these that are watching for peace to turn into right.

The signature of as of late’s Declaration of Concepts heralds renewed hope.  It reflects a U.S. unravel to enhance and make stronger regional and international efforts.  This initiative brings accountability and draws on onerous lessons from past efforts that possess failed to materialize.  So the simply news is there is hope for peace.  The right news, peace have to be earned, and this might per chance occasionally require seriousness, transparency, and sincerity.  We welcome the management of the United States of The usa, a nation that has shown steadfast make stronger, consistent principles, and unravel in multilateral boards, severely within the United Nation Safety Council.

Mr. Secretary, Senator Rubio, I’d want to hiss our deep gratitude.  Dr. Boulos, furthermore, your extensive consultations across the place of dwelling possess introduced nuance, depth, and humanity to this direction of, and your presence as of late underscores that diplomacy have to pay attention, realize the lived experiences of these most affected, and look sturdy alternate strategies.  The Democratic Republic of the Congo acknowledges and values this engagement of the United States.  We are furthermore encouraged by U.S.-backed initiatives that promote accept mineral mark chains and inclusive economic growth.  These efforts reaffirm that peace and prosperity are inseparable.  Each step in direction of steadiness is a step in direction of dignity, jobs, and faculties.  Right here’s the promise of guilty funding and a concept partnership with the DRC, a nation no longer utterly rising from struggle but furthermore at the core of finding alternate strategies to world challenges.

To our countrymen and ladies within the Democratic Republic of the Congo, severely within the east, we all know you are watching this second with situation, with hope, and yes, with doubt.  And also you are simply to attain so.  You’ll possess every reason to query greater than guarantees.  You’ll also very neatly be entitled to actions that measure as a lot as the suffering it’s doubtless you’ll perhaps per chance perhaps also simply possess endured.  We plan energy from your resilience, from your dedication to justice, and from our shared unwavering perception that our sovereignty and our territory are no longer negotiable.  We are a nation that honors its duties, and we realize that historical past, geography, and yes, even maybe fate has given us the neighbors we possess got.  The borders we inherited as confirmed by the African Union are everlasting and have to by no formulation change.  But beyond these traces lie histories, households, and communities that bind us together.  This shared heritage requires maturity, restraint, and the data to acknowledge that peace is rarely any longer weak spot, it’s far energy.

One more time, we stand at a crossroads with peace nearby.  And we, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are positive to cross forward, building on the teachings from the past.  We stand as a nation dedicated to achieving lasting peace.  We welcome the make stronger of a solid associate by our facet.  And I pronounce a solemn hope that all occasions will take cling of this likelihood proper as we, the DRC, possess chosen to.

Thank you.

SECRETARY RUBIO:   Thank you, Madam Minister.

Mr. Minister.

FOREIGN MINISTER NDUHUNGIREHE:   Thank you.  Appropriate afternoon.  On behalf of President Paul Kagame and the Government of Rwanda, I want to begin by thanking President Donald Trump for enabling a right change within the conversation on the correct technique to resolve the situation within the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, resulting within the signing of the Declaration of Concepts as of late.

I thank Secretary Marco Rubio and the United States Government for web web hosting us, and I commend the certain role played by your Senior Handbook Massad Boulos and his team and other officials within the fundamental development executed to date.

This present day we’re speaking about the right points, the root causes that have to be addressed to fabricate a protracted lasting peace in our place of dwelling.  These encompass, before the total lot, security as well to the return of refugees.  Apart from, and extremely importantly, we’re discussing the correct technique to compose unique popular economic mark chains that link our nations, including with American private sector funding.

Our scheme is a accept place of dwelling – free of violent ethnic extremism – which is neatly-ruled.  Working together, our place of dwelling might perhaps per chance also simply also be an engine of prosperity for all of our peoples and indeed Africa as an total.  The Declaration of Concepts opens the door to a definitive peace settlement, giving unique impetus to ongoing efforts of the Africa-led direction of beneath the East African Community and Southern African Type Community, as well to the Doha tune facilitated by the state of Qatar, where we possess got considered vital breakthroughs in contemporary days.

Our total scheme is to form a total peace settlement as soon as that it’s doubtless you’ll perhaps per chance perhaps also take into consideration, but there are no longer shortcuts or swiftly fixes, and we possess got to attain the onerous work to discover it executed simply as soon as and for all.  Rwanda is committed and we’re attractive to continue working along with the total companions interested to make certain the success of this initiative.

I thanks all.

SECRETARY RUBIO:   Thank you.  All simply.

SENIOR ADVISOR BOULOS:   Secretary Rubio is signing as a look the Declaration of Concepts between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Government of the Republic of Rwanda.

This declaration commits the occasions to mutual recognition of sovereignty and territorial integrity, addressing security considerations, promoting regional economic integration, facilitating the return of displaced contributors, supporting MONUSCO, and drafting a peace settlement.

These are extreme commitments from every facet.  The Secretary’s presence here as of late as a look signifies the importance the United States locations on resolving this struggle to make certain each and every nations and their of us prosper.  We’re taking a watch for working with every facet to extra our current partnerships and foster derive-derive outcomes for all.

(The Declaration of Concepts is signed.)

(Applause.)

SENIOR ADVISOR BOULOS:   This concludes the ceremony.  Thank you