Statement by Ambassador Robert R. Fowler (Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations) in the United Nations Security Council on the situation concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mr. President,
Canada has decided to vote in favor of this resolution. This decision occasioned a profound debate involving the senior-most levels of my Government. It was a debate based on human security imperatives, on Canada's longstanding commitment to Africa and to peacekeeping, and our determination to learn the lessons of the past.
We will vote in favor of this resolution because Africans themselves want it and because it will do some good in the context of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Our hesitation has been caused because we believe it could have done better. Our concern about this resolution, which we expressed consistently through the negotiations to develop it, is that it falls precariously short of matching the mission's mandate with the resources needed for it to succeed. None of us wants to risk repeating the mistakes made in Srebrenica.
Mr. President,
The match between mandate and resources is an operational necessity. Canada has argued that we must learn from our experiences and reflect these lessons in the decisions we take today. I believe the Council did so in Sierra Leone where we achieved a mandate that today is more closely matched by adequate resources. Though imperfect, the situation in Sierra Leone has stabilized somewhat. The killing has largely stopped.
Canada tried to apply these lessons in our efforts at shaping the resolution before us. We understand that it is important to get Phase II of MONUC off the ground quickly, and that Phase II must be in place before Phase III can begin. We believe, however, that it is equally important to get Phase II right. We do not believe that the number of 5,537 is magic, or that the mandate is sufficient. We would have liked to see a more capable observation mission. We would have also preferred to see greater extraction capacity even if it took more personnel. For Canada's part, my Government will undertake its own assessment of the conditions on the ground prior to finalizing a contribution to the mission.
Mr. President,
There is a human security disaster unfolding in the DRC, which requires immediate attention. The Lusaka Agreement requires substantive support from the UN. There are few places in the world where civilians are more in need of protection than in the DRC. In situations as grave as this, there is an imperative to act and to do what is possible to relieve the suffering of the beleaguered people of the DRC. It is never easy to balance the requirements of immediate response with the sober consideration of longer term consequences. Unfortunately, such considerations were not the only ones driving the decision on MONUC's force level. Other factors, such as cost-aversion and outside political realities, also influenced the Council's decision-making in this instance. Mr. President,
Canada will continue to do everything possible to ensure that UN peacekeeping missions have a fair chance to do their job by resisting efforts to force configurations on them that may be politically convenient but operationally unsound. Canada's support today is given in the hope that this phase of MONUC will pave the way to a third phase of substantial UN peacekeeping in the service of the people in the DRC. Canada will continue to press for such a commitment during our time on the Council and after we leave. Our deep commitment to Africa and to human security demands it.
