Human Rights Council 59th Session
Item 2 - Enhanced interactive dialogue on the oral update from the Fact-Finding Mission on Eastern DRC.
Statement by Latvia on behalf of the Nordic Baltic group.
16 June 2025
President,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic countries and thank the Fact-Finding Mission for its update.
We remain deeply concerned about the dire humanitarian and human rights situation in eastern DRC, including summary executions, SGBV, forced recruitment and killing of children, and persecution of human rights defenders. All violations must be investigated and perpetrators held fully accountable through international and domestic accountability mechanisms.
We reiterate our call for M23 to withdraw from all occupied areas and for Rwanda to cease its support for M23 and withdraw its troops from the DRC. We call on the DRC to end cooperation with FDLR and to take further steps to demobilise this group and other armed groups.
We commend ongoing peace initiatives and urge all Parties to engage constructively, uphold their international obligations, protect civilians, and guarantee safe, timely and unhindered humanitarian access.
We continue to stress the importance of accountability following the appeal trial for the murders of UN experts Zaida Catalán and Michael Sharp.
In these complex circumstances, how can the international community contribute to the protection of human rights?
I thank you.