Kinshasa, 23 October 2010 - On Saturday, October 23, the United Nations in Kinshasa celebrated the sixty fifth anniversary of the adoption of the founding Charter of the UNO on 24 October 1945. This event which was organized by the United Nations Mission for Stabilization in DRC (MONUSCO), in partnership with other UN agencies and the Congolese authorities, has been celebrated in the form of an official ceremony and a concert.

The event gathered a number of civil society representatives, particularly of youth and a number of the United Nations staff members. The ceremony took place in presence of the Special Representative of the Secretary General in DRC, Roger Meece, representatives of the United Nations system in DRC, government's representatives and other authorities of the DRC; notably Vice - Prime minister, Mr. Simon Bulupiy Galati, as well as many representatives of the Diplomatic missions in the DRC.

The SRSG Roger Meece recalled in his address that Congo had joined the United Nations Organization on the very following day of proclamation of its independence in 1960. He congratulated the Government of the DRC on the initiative of "placing the country on the path of democracy and social and economic progress, in conformity with the principles of the UNO charter". He recalled that the Charter contained universally accepted principles, and that "the UN forums acted as common ground for the nations to discuss and share their knowledge and experiences in managing problems faced by countries in several fields". "The United Nations is there to help governments overcome challenges they are confronted with - including the most delicate", he said, before concluding "I express the wish that the strength of our partnership and our continual and constructive dialogue permit to assure the best life, well being and a prosperous future for the Congolese people."

In his address, the Vice Prime minister, Minister of the Post, Telephone and Telecommunication, Mr. Simon Bulupiy Galati recalled the importance his country has been giving to the United Nations since it became a member of the Organisation in 1960 and appreciated the important UN contribution to the DRC, while recalling that it helped to restore peace whenever it was shattered. In that regard, he saluted to the memory of the UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld and all the staff members of the United Nations who, like him, lost their lives for peace in DRC. He also paid a warm tribute to "all civil and military staff of the United Nations, especially of the MONUSCO who are
again toiling for pacification and stabilization of the country".

The Vice Prime Minister besides regretted "the increasing dramatic spill over of the armed conflicts". He remarked that DRC was the typical example in that regard. Referring to the sexual violence against women, more specifically, he ensured of " the full adhesion of his Government to the will of women to see humanity put an end to all forms of humiliating and degrading treatment towards women, children and all other human beings."

Finally, on behalf of the Governement of DRC, he expressed the wish that with the assistance of all its partners in the United Nations, the next years would be sunnier and promising for DRC, Africa and the World.

An impressive concert on the theme of "UN Congo nouveau" was performed by the Congolese group 'Washiba' focusing on the need for all Congolese to engage themselves in consolidation of peace, stabilization, reconstruction and development of their country.

It may be noted that the United Nations Day was celebrated in the four corners of the territory of the democratic Republic of Congo on the weekend.