GOOD Speech by Patricia de Lille ,
GOOD Leader & Member of Parliament
10 February 2024
Note to editor: This is the speech by GOOD Leader and Member of Parliament, Patricia de Lille, for today’s urgent debate on the fallen heroes of the South African National Defence Force who died in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo – check against delivery.
As the GOOD Party we send our most heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the fourteen fallen soldiers who tragically lost their lives while bravely defending civilians and infrastructure in the North Kivu Regional Capital of Goma in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
We thank the fallen soldiers and their fellow compatriots for their bravery and role they are playing in “silencing the guns”, the African Unions initiative to end violent conflict in Africa.
As we learnt through the negotiation process that ended Apartheid, it is only through proactive mediation that complex and protracted violence can be ended. We call on the AU and United Nations to continue to pressure all parties back to the negotiation table so that the Luanda Peace Process may result in lasting peace for the DRC.
It is important to note that SANDF forces have been in the region for many years, as part of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) mission and now through the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) mission.
South Africa prides itself on being a force for peace in Africa, and we continue to play this role as one of the most vital voices on the continent.
We echo the calls by the Extraordinary SADC Summit to engage all the state and non-state actors involved in the conflict to embark on a ceasefire process, protecting innocent lives and allowing much needed access to humanitarian relief.
This must be followed by the dialogue that is needed to restore peace and allow one of Africa’s most conflict-ridden regions a chance to prosper.
In order to truly bring long lasting peace to the continent we need to refer back to the AU Master Roadmap of Practical Steps to Silencing the Guns in Africa.
We need to address the root causes of conflicts including economic and social disparities.
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