By: Taliyah Winn, Student Reporter*

20 January 2003

The Historical Security Council of 2003 convened to discuss the prevailing humanitarian crises worldwide, but attention swiftly shifted to Central Africa following a report highlighting alarming information about the Ebola virus.

Representative of Bulgaria, Gracie Ross, initiated the discussion of the humanitarian crisis in Central Africa, including the stability of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 

Representative Ross said, “The Delegation of Bulgaria was very concerned with the recent reports that were put forward to us at the beginning of the session concerning the findings about Ebola in the region.”

Many delegations express concern about enforcing quarantines while also focusing on the stability of the region.

The DRC has suffered from decades of political instability and violence. Conflict over control of resource rich regions of the DRC has exacerbated wars in neighboring nations.

The Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement–signed in 1999 by the DRC, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe–attempted to bring stability to the region. However, continued fighting has resulted in thousands of civilian deaths from both direct violence and underlying disease and starvation.

The United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), was put in place on 30 November 1999. It approved a peacekeeping force of 5,500 troops and 500 observers assigned to monitor the ceasefire agreement along with humanitarian conditions.

During a consultative session–in which representatives are able to talk in session without the enforcement of rules and procedures–member states discussed ideas on how to address the ongoing Ebola outbreak and the conflict and instability in the DRC. 

Member States, such as Angola, expressed concerns about the spread of Ebola into neighboring regions. To address this issue, they deliberated over the route they must take. 

On the topic of increasing the mandate of MONUC, the Russian Federation proposed redefining the instructions of the peacekeepers and humanitarian aid to enforce the initial goals behind the mandate. 

Without the approval of the government to the DRC, the body is hesitant to increase operations or introduce new resolutions as not to oppose state sovereignty.

To ensure consent of the involved parties, Representatives will invite Representatives from the DRC and the Republic of the Congo to be party to the conversation. 

_{The views and opinions expressed in this article were part of simulation of the United Nations held from 18 to 21 November 2023 and do not reflect the views and opinions of the American Model United Nations Conference, American Model United Nations International, LLC., *Wichita State University or the governing bodies of the states mentioned in the article.}