The Council adopted the conclusions on Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the main ones being as follows:

(1) it remains gravely concerned about the situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The withdrawal of the M23 from Goma is just a first step in re-establishing stability and tackling the intolerable suffering inflicted upon the people in the eastern DRC. The European Union

·        condemns all human rights violations and calls for those responsible to be held accountable;

·        reiterates that external support to the M23 is unacceptable and calls on those concerned to cease any such support;

·        calls upon the Government of the DRC to promote effective efforts to establish security and the rule of law in the east.

(2) the EU welcomes:

·        the high level contacts between Presidents Kabila of DRC, Kagame of Rwanda and Museveni of Uganda and the engagement of the ICGLR and the African Union and calls upon all states and organisations in the region to intensify their dialogue, to work constructively to implement agreements and to address impunity;

·        UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions 2076 and 2078, including the renewal of the arms embargo and of the sanctions against armed groups and the leadership of M23. It awaits the Security Council’s conclusions on the reports of external support to the M23 and proposals from the UN Secretary-General on how MONUSCO can best implement its mandate.

Lastly, the EU reiterates its willingness to support the ICGLR Extended Joint Verification Mechanism. 

The European Parliament adopted a resolution the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The resolution was tabled by the ECR, EFD, EPP, S&D, ALDE, Greens/EFA, and GUE/NGL groups.

Parliament expresses its strong concern at the deterioration in the general situation in the east of the DRC, and strongly condemns the attacks by M23 and all other negative forces in the east of the DRC in recent months. Members call specifically on both the Governments of Rwanda and Uganda to desist from supporting the rebel group M23 as this is having a destabilising impact on the Great Lake region. They recall that the United Nations Group of Experts has presented evidence of Rwanda backing to M23 rebels providing military support, including weapons, ammunition, training and soldiers.

Parliament strongly condemns the acts of sexual violence, which have been committed on a massive scale in the DRC, particularly the rape of women and girls, and the recruitment of children. It urges the Government of the DRC and the international community to provide all persons in need in the east of the DRC with appropriate medical care, including posttraumatic and psychological support. Members call, in particular, for the perpetrators of human rights violations, war crimes, crimes against humanity, sexual violence against women and the conscription of child soldiers to be reported, identified, prosecuted and punished in accordance with national and international criminal law, and they stress that impunity cannot be tolerated regardless of who the perpetrators may be.

The Congolese Government is asked to assume its full responsibility and bring impunity to an end, including the abuses perpetrated by the Congolese army (FARDC).

Members want an EU position vis-à-vis all individuals who have violated the UN arms embargo on Congo.

Parliament goes on to state that all parties concerned must contribute in good faith to a peaceful resolution and calls, furthermore, for the immediate implementation of the crisis resolution plan adopted in Kampala on 24 November 2012. It also stresses the importance of the effective functioning of the joint verification mechanism established by the ICGLR member states, to monitor troop movements in the east of the DRC and the establishment and effective deployment of the envisaged neutral international force. It welcomes the efforts of the member states of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the African Union (AU) and the UN in their efforts and initiatives seeking a lasting and peaceful political solution to the crisis. Parliament insists that a military solution will not resolve the crisis and calls, therefore, for a political peace process that will tackle the disarmament of rebel forces and the root causes of the conflict. The AU and the Great lakes countries must take further steps to fight illicit exploitation of and trade in natural resources – one of the reasons for the proliferation and trafficking of arms, which are among the major factors fuelling and exacerbating conflicts in the Great Lakes region. Transparent access to and control over the natural resources of the DRC are indispensable for the sustainable development of the country.

Parliament calls on the international community, and more particularly the EU, the AU and the UN, to continue to take every possible measure to provide more coordinated and effective aid to people in the east of the DRC and contribute to people in the east of the DRC and contribute to efforts to respond to the humanitarian disaster.

The resolution calls for efforts to be made at both national and international level to increase the authority of the state and the rule of law in the DRC, particularly in the fields of governance and security, including in close cooperation with the European Union military assistance mission (EUSEC) and the Union's police assistance mission (EUPOL), which should be continued in order to consolidate peace and security both in the country and in the Great Lakes region. Members also urge the Monusco stabilisation mission in DRC to implement its mandate with greater effectiveness in order to guarantee the security and safety of Congolese civilians. They recommend promoting and facilitating the establishment of local peace initiatives by Monusco and the DRC Government, particularly in territories where there are strong ethnic tensions, in order to stabilise the situation on a permanent basis.

Lastly, Parliament urges the Congolese Government to act promptly and firmly to prevent all irreversible damage to Virunga National Park, due to the exploration and exploitation of oil or other illegal activities.