S/RES/1592 (2005)
Security Council Distr.: General
30 March 2005
05-28891 (E)
*0528891*
Resolution 1592 (2005)
Adopted by the Security Council at its 5155th meeting,
on 30 March 2005
The Security Council,
Recalling its previous resolutions and the statements by its President
concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in particular resolution 1565 of
1 October 2004, and the statement of 2 March 2005 (S/PRST/2005/10),
Reaffirming its commitment to respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and
political independence of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well as of all
States in the region, and its support for the process of the Global and All-Inclusive
Agreement on the Transition in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, signed in
Pretoria on 17 December 2002, and calling on all the Congolese parties to honour
their commitments in this regard, in particular so that free, fair and peaceful
elections can take place,
Reiterating its serious concern regarding the continuation of hostilities by
armed groups and militias in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, particularly in the provinces of North and South Kivu and in the Ituri
district, and by the grave violations of human rights and of international
humanitarian law that accompany them, calling on the Government of National
Unity and Transition to bring the perpetrators to justice without delay, and
recognizing that the continuing presence of ex-Forces armées rwandaises and
Interahamwe elements remains a threat for the local civilian population and an
impediment to good-neighbourly relations between the Democratic Republic of the
Congo and Rwanda,
Welcoming in this regard the African Union’s support for efforts to further
peace in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and calling on
the African Union to work closely with MONUC in defining its role in the region,
Recalling its condemnation of the attack by one of these militias against
members of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo (MONUC), on 25 February 2005, and welcoming the first steps taken to
date to bring them to justice, in particular the arrests of militia leaders suspected of
bearing responsibility for human rights abuses,
Reiterating its call on the Congolese parties, when selecting individuals for
key posts in the Government of National Unity and Transition, including the Armed
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Forces and National Police, to take into account the record and commitment of those
individuals with regard to respect for international humanitarian law and human
rights,
Recalling that all the parties bear responsibility for ensuring security with
respect to civilian populations, in particular women, children and other vulnerable
persons, and expressing concern at the continuing levels of sexual violence,
Reaffirming its full support for MONUC and for its personnel, who operate in
particularly hazardous conditions, and welcoming the robust action it is undertaking
in pursuit of its mandate,
Recalling the link between the illicit exploitation and trade of natural resources
in certain regions and the fuelling of armed conflicts, condemning categorically the
illegal exploitation of natural resources and other sources of wealth of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, and urging all States, especially those in the
region including the Democratic Republic of the Congo itself, to take appropriate
steps in order to end these illegal activities,
Bearing in mind the third special report of the Secretary-General on MONUC,
dated 16 August 2004 (S/2004/650), and its recommendations, and aware of the
importance of keeping under review the situation in the Katanga and Kasaï
provinces,
Taking note of the seventeenth report of the Secretary-General on MONUC,
dated 21 March 2005 (S/2005/167), and looking forward to the special report on the
electoral process announced by the Secretary-General in paragraph 34 of his
seventeenth report,
Noting that the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to
constitute a threat to international peace and security in the region,
Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,
1. Decides to extend the mandate of MONUC, as contained in resolution
1565, until 1 October 2005, with the intention to renew it for further periods;
2. Reaffirms its demand that all parties cooperate fully with the operations
of MONUC and that they ensure the safety of, as well as unhindered and immediate
access for, United Nations and associated personnel in carrying out their mandate,
throughout the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in particular
that all parties provide full access to MONUC military observers, including to all
ports, airports, airfields, military bases and border crossings, and requests the
Secretary-General to report without delay any failure to comply with these demands;
3. Urges the Government of National Unity and Transition to do its utmost
to ensure the security of civilians, including humanitarian personnel, by effectively
extending State authority, throughout the territory of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo and in particular in North and South Kivu and in Ituri;
4. Calls on the Government of National Unity and Transition to carry out
reform of the security sector, through the expeditious integration of the Armed
Forces and of the National Police of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in
particular by ensuring adequate payment and logistical support for their personnel,
and stresses the need in this regard to implement without delay the national
disarmament, demobilization and reinsertion programme for Congolese combatants;
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5. Further calls on the Government of National Unity and Transition to
develop with MONUC a joint concept of operations for the disarmament of foreign
combatants by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the
assistance of MONUC, within its mandate and capabilities;
6. Calls on the donor community, as a matter of urgency, to continue to
engage firmly in the provision of assistance needed for the integration, training and
equipping of the Armed Forces and of the National Police of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, and urges the Government of National Unity and Transition
to promote all possible means to facilitate and expedite cooperation to this end;
7. Emphasizing that MONUC is authorized to use all necessary means,
within its capabilities and in the areas where its armed units are deployed, to deter
any attempt at the use of force to threaten the political process and to ensure the
protection of civilians under imminent threat of physical violence, from any armed
group, foreign or Congolese, in particular the ex-FAR and Interahamwé, encourages
MONUC in this regard to continue to make full use of its mandate under resolution
1565 in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and stresses that,
in accordance with its mandate, MONUC may use cordon and search tactics to
prevent attacks on civilians and disrupt the military capability of illegal armed
groups that continue to use violence in those areas;
8. Calls on all the parties to the Transition in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo to make concrete progress towards the holding of elections, as provided
for by the Global and All-Inclusive Agreement, in particular in furthering the early
adoption of the constitution and of the electoral law, as well as the registration of
voters;
9. Demands that the Governments of Uganda, Rwanda, as well as the
Democratic Republic of the Congo put a stop to the use of their respective territories
in support of violations of the arms embargo imposed by resolution 1493 of 28 July
2003 or of activities of armed groups operating in the region;
10. Further urges all States neighbouring the Democratic Republic of the
Congo to impede any kind of support to the illegal exploitation of Congolese natural
resources, particularly by preventing the flow of such resources through their
respective territories;
11. Reaffirms its concern regarding acts of sexual exploitation and abuse
committed by United Nations personnel against the local population, and requests
the Secretary-General to ensure compliance with the zero tolerance policy he has
defined and with the measures put in place to prevent and investigate all forms of
misconduct, discipline those found responsible and provide support to the victims,
and to pursue active training and awareness-raising of all MONUC personnel, and
further requests the Secretary-General to keep the Council regularly informed of the
measures implemented and their effectiveness;
12. Urges troop-contributing countries carefully to review the Secretary-
General’s letter of 24 March 2005 (A/59/710) and to take appropriate action to
prevent sexual exploitation and abuse by their personnel in MONUC, including the
conduct of pre-deployment awareness-training, and to take disciplinary action and
other action to ensure full accountability in cases of such misconduct involving their
personnel;
13. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
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