Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, has issued demands to Rwanda over the conflict in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Kariuki, in his statement at the UN Security Council that was published on Friday, February 21, 2025, in New York, called for all Rwandan Defence Forces to withdraw from Congolese territory.
He argued that DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the UN Charter, must be respected, warning of further action if the resolution will not be respected.
“And critically, it makes clear that DRC’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, as well as the UN Charter must be respected. The UK supports this resolution’s call for all Rwandan Defence Forces to withdraw from Congolese territory. We urge the parties to fully abide by this resolution. Otherwise this Council will need to consider further action,” the statement read in part.
Kariuki further affirmed that UK ministers are engaging intensively to support a diplomatic end to the conflict, since there is no military solution.
Kariuki lauds EAC-SADC Summit
He also lauded the recent East Africa Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) joint summit, hoping that it helps end the DRC conflict.
“The United Kingdom welcomes and fully supports this text. We hope it makes a positive contribution to the diplomatic leadership in the region, especially the recent EAC-SADC summit, and helps bring an end to the conflict. UK ministers are engaging intensively to support a diplomatic end to the conflict because there is no military solution,” Kariuki said.
He went ahead to call for a ceasefire and immediate withdrawal of M23 rebels from Goma and Bukavu.
“President, the violations we have seen in recent weeks in eastern DRC are wholly unacceptable. Today’s resolution sends a clear message that these violations must stop and the parties to return to the African-led political processes,” Kariuki’s statement reads.
“It makes clear that there needs to be a ceasefire and the withdrawal of M23 from Goma and Bukavu. We strongly urge M23 to immediately cease hostilities. No Member States should impede this.”
Ambassador Kariuki’s Kenyan roots
Ambassador James Kariuki is the Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, a position he assumed in August 2021.
Kariuki, whose father is a Kenyan, represents the interests of the UK at the powerful global body, with his childhood experiences influencing his career progression.
In his past interview with his former school, Jesus College Cambridge, Kariuki who was born in Morocco revealed that his parents, a Kenyan father and an English mother, separated before he was two.
As a result, he had a fairly unremarkable upbringing in Surrey, where he attended the local state primary before winning a scholarship to a nearby private school.
“For many people, university is life-changing. Jesus College certainly was for me. My early childhood – born in Morocco to an English mother and Kenyan father – sounds exotic. But my parents separated before I was two, and I had a fairly unremarkable upbringing in Surrey where I attended the local state primary before winning a scholarship to a nearby private school,” he said.
Before landing that prestigious role, Kariuki served as Multilateral Policy Director at the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office. Between 2018 and 2021, he was tasked with policy developments towards unifying the country’s diplomatic issues, human rights, and sanctions.
He was also the Director of Diplomacy from 2016 to 2018, where he led the UK government’s work across the US on politics, communications, economics, and global issues.
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