General
14 June 2002
02-42609 (E)
*0242609*
Resolution 1417 (2002)
Adopted by the Security Council at its 4554th meeting,
on 14 June 2002
The Security Council,
Recalling its previous resolutions and statements by its President regarding the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, in particular resolution 1355 of 15 June 2001,
Reaffirming the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of
the Democratic Republic of the Congo and of all other States in the region,
Reaffirming further the obligation of all States to refrain from the use of force
against the territorial integrity and political independence of any State, or in any
other manner inconsistent with the purposes and principles of the United Nations,
Reaffirming also the sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
over its natural resources, and, in this respect, looking forward to receiving the
report by the Panel of Experts on the illegal exploitation of natural resources and
other forms of wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the link between
the exploitation and the continuation of the conflict,
Recalling the responsibilities of all parties to cooperate in the full deployment
of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (MONUC),
Acknowledging the positive role of the Facilitator and of the President of South
Africa in the conduct of the Inter-Congolese Dialogue in Sun City, South Africa,
Taking note of the idea of a curtain of troops, which was raised during the
Security Council mission to the Great Lakes region, and encouraging the Secretary-
General, if asked to do so by the parties, to instruct MONUC to facilitate the
development of this idea, with a view to possible support to its implementation,
including by sending observers,
Recognizing the importance of electoral support in achieving governmental
transition in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and expressing its intention,
once an all-inclusive transitional Government is in place, to consider the role the
international community, in particular MONUC, might play in support to the
electoral process,
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Underlining that the main responsibility for resolving the conflict rests with
the parties,
Taking note of the Secretary-General’s report of 5 June 2002 (S/2002/621) and
its recommendations,
Determining that the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
continues to pose a threat to international peace and security in the region,
1. Decides to extend the mandate of MONUC until 30 June 2003;
2. Calls upon Member States to contribute personnel to enable MONUC to
reach its authorized strength of 5,537, including observers, within the time frame
outlined in its concept of operation;
3. Takes note of the recommendation by the Secretary-General for a troop
ceiling increase and expresses its intention to consider authorizing it as soon as
further progress has been achieved and the steps referred to in paragraph 12 of
resolution 1376 (2001) of 9 November 2001 have been taken;
4. Condemns ethnically and nationally based calls for violence and the
killings and attacks against civilians and soldiers that followed the events that took
place on 14 May and thereafter in Kisangani, looks forward to receiving the joint
report and recommendations by MONUC and the Office of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights on the violence in Kisangani, and reiterates that it holds the
Rassemblement Congolais pour la Democratie-Goma, as the de facto authority,
responsible to bring to an end all extrajudicial executions, human rights violations
and arbitrary harassment of civilians in Kisangani, and all other areas under RCDGoma’s
control, and that it demands the demilitarization of Kisangani;
5. Condemns the exploitation of ethnic differences in order to incite or carry
out violence or human rights violations, deplores the humanitarian impact of such
abuse, and in this regard expresses particular concern at the situation in the Ituri
region and in South Kivu, in particular in the Hauts Plateaux, and calls on the de
facto authorities in the regions affected to ensure the protection of civilians and the
rule of law;
6. Reiterates its full support for the Special Representative of the Secretary-
General and for all the dedicated MONUC personnel who operate in challenging
conditions, demands that RCD-Goma provide full access and lift all restrictions on
MONUC personnel, and fully cooperate with MONUC in the implementation of its
mandate, and urges Rwanda to exert its influence to have RCD-Goma meet without
delay all its obligations;
7. Recalling paragraph 8 of resolution 1291 (2000) of 24 February 2000 and
paragraph 19 of resolution 1341 (2001) of 22 February 2001, supports the steps
outlined in paragraphs 25 and 71 of the Secretary-General’s report (S/2002/621) and
reaffirms MONUC’s mandate to take the necessary action in the areas of deployment
of its armed units and as it deems it within its capabilities:
– to protect United Nations and co-located Joint Military Commission personnel,
facilities, installations and equipment,
– to ensure the security and freedom of movements of its personnel,
– and to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence;
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8. Requests MONUC to proceed expeditiously in the deployment of the
additional 85 police trainers to Kisangani as endorsed in the statement of its
President dated 24 May 2002, once MONUC determines that the necessary security
conditions are in place;
9. Supports MONUC’s role in Disarmament, Demobilization, Repatriation,
Resettlement, and Reintegration (DDRRR) as authorized in relevant Security
Council resolutions, welcomes its deployment to Kisangani and Kindu, encourages
it to move quickly to respond to any signs of interest in voluntary DDRRR by
uncontrolled armed groups in the eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, within its current means, and calls for the full cooperation of all the parties
on DDRRR, including on the DDRRR of the ex-combatants of Kamina, and for the
provision of the necessary planning information referred to in paragraph 12 (ii) of
resolution 1376 (2001);
10. Welcomes the commitments made by the President of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, during the Security Council mission to the Great Lakes, not
to support the armed groups referred to in Annex A, Chapter 9.1 of the Lusaka
Ceasefire Agreement and regarding the cooperation with the International Criminal
Tribunal for Rwanda and, in this regard, urges the Government of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo fully to implement these commitments and urgently to take
all necessary steps to ensure that its territory is not used to support these armed
groups;
11. Stresses that the reduction in the number of foreign forces in the territory
of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is encouraging, demands the total and
expeditious withdrawal of all foreign forces, in accordance with its previous
resolutions, without which the conflict cannot be resolved, and, in this regard,
reiterates that all parties must transmit to MONUC, in accordance with the Lusaka
Ceasefire Agreement and Security Council resolutions, in particular resolution 1376
(2001), the plans and timetables for the total withdrawal of their troops from the
territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
12. Encourages the parties, especially the Government of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo and the Government of Rwanda, to address the fundamental
security issues at the heart of the conflict and, in this context, to explore the scope
for further confidence-building measures, such as the idea discussed during the
Security Council mission to the Great Lakes region of a curtain of troops, as an
interim measure aimed at ensuring border security in the final stages of withdrawal,
and encourages the parties to follow up on their initial positive reaction and develop
this idea;
13. Reiterates its support for the Inter-Congolese Dialogue and encourages
the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mouvement pour la
Libération du Congo (MLC) and RCD-Goma to hold new discussions as soon as
possible, in good faith, and without precondition, taking into account the progress in
the Inter-Congolese Dialogue achieved in Sun City, in order to reach an all-inclusive
agreement on the political transition, with the support of all the Congolese parties to
the Inter-Congolese Dialogue;
14. While reaffirming that the primary responsibility for this dialogue lies
with the Congolese themselves, stresses the importance of a strong United Nations
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role in support of this process and, in this respect, supports the efforts of the newly
appointed Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, Mr. Mustapha Niasse;
15. Requests all parties and relevant States to extend their full cooperation to
the Panel of Experts on the illegal exploitation of natural resources and other forms
of wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the link between the
exploitation and the continuation of the conflict;
16. Requests the Secretary-General to report at least every four months to the
Council on progress on the implementation of this resolution;
17. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.