RDC: Fardc supplied 80% of the weapons used by the rebels.
The representatives of the UN Security Council pointed out that the Democratic Republic of the Congo has a lot to solve in order to be safe, including preventing the weapons of its army from going into the hands of armed groups.
Nicolas de Rivière, France’s ambassador to the UN, said that the National Army’s weapons provided 80% of the weapons used by the Congolese rebels (FARDC).
On Sunday, March 12, Nicolas de Rivière and the group he headed left the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the intention of examining the causes of the instability that has been roiling that region’s east for days.
There are currently more than 130 armed groups in the DRC, most of which originate from within the country.
Nicolas de Rivière said that Congo is the first country that should establish a system that makes security available, starting from preventing weapons from falling into the hands of rebels.
He said, “There are some issues that need to be addressed. An expert report shows that 80% of the weapons owned by the armed groups come from the FARDC. It’s a problem that needs to be solved.”
On Saturday, when he was in Goma, Nicolas de Rivière said that Congo should find solutions for itself instead of always waiting for foreigners to come and solve its problems.
“I want to highlight that the UN needs the DRC and its army because it cannot accomplish everything on its own. It is they who are concerned first and foremost, what the UN can do is help. The UN won’t be able to fix your problems on its own, and there is no random solution.”
This comes after the FARDC clashed with the M23 movement just a few days ago. This group has demonstrated that the majority of the weapons use all taken from the FARDC on the battlefield, with others coming from the government’s weapons depots and the occupied areas.
