Yesterday in the United Nations Security Council, Richard Sezibera, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda, participated in a High-Level debate on “Mercenary activities as a source of insecurity and destabilization in Africa” with a focus on the Central African sub-region.
Dr. Sezibera represented President Paul Kagame in his capacity as the Chairperson of the African Union, and the debate was chaired by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea.
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission, briefed the Security Council.
Dr. Sezibera’s statement highlighted the following key points:
• The need to update global legal frameworks to reflect the evolving nature of mercenary activities worldwide.
• Distinguishing between private military and security services that operate within national legal frameworks and mercenary groups operating clandestinely with the objective of destabilizing constitutional order and authority.
• Linking the rise of mercenary activity and increased transboundary criminal activity, including those of global terrorist networks.
• Noted that Rwanda has experienced such cross-border terrorist activity as was recently reported in the UN Secretary-General’s report to the Security Council S/2019/11.33. (End)