Source: European Parliament

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to its previous resolutions on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),

–  having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

–  having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

–  having regard to the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which guarantees the right to freedom of conscience and the free exercise of religious worship for all citizens,

–  having regard to the UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 25 November 1981,

–  having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights,

–  having regard to Rules 136(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas the eastern DRC has endured decades of widespread violence and instability; whereas the situation continues to deteriorate significantly, with persistent human rights violations by armed groups, mass displacement, attacks on civilians and alarming humanitarian conditions further exacerbated by armed conflicts, such as the conflict between the DRC Government, the Rwanda-backed armed rebel group March 23 Movement (M23) and other militias, which has already resulted in the forceful internal displacement of 4,6 million people in the eastern DRC; whereas around 100 separate armed groups are estimated to be operating in the eastern DRC; whereas a series of overlapping issues are driving destabilisation in the country;

B.  whereas M23 has intensified attacks in North Kivu and on 19 March 2025, it seized the mineral-rich town of Walikale, defying the ceasefire;

C.  whereas the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) is one of the most prominent extremist groups with explicitly religious objectives, especially since its leader pledged allegiance to the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in 2019, becoming its Central Africa Province branch (ISCAP); whereas the ADF’s attacks need to be seen in the wider African context of a rise in the number of Islamist groups, in particular those affiliated to ISIS, in the Sahel region, the Horn of Africa, Mozambique, Nigeria and the DRC; whereas the ADF has been designated a terrorist group by Uganda and the United States;

D.  whereas in May 2024, the UN Group of Experts on the DRC warned that the ‘armed group established strong networks in prisons, particularly in Kinshasa where ADF detainees were active in recruiting and mobilising combatants and collaborators’, using not only ideological means, but also coercion, deception, abduction and financial incentives to attract members and collaborators;

E.  whereas the ADF has a long history of committing terrorist attacks in the eastern DRC, particularly in North Kivu and Ituri provinces; whereas North Kivu is a resource-rich region, with vast supplies of critical raw materials including cobalt, gold and tin, which are necessary for the global digital and energy transitions; whereas it is known that the ADF and other armed groups, including M23, have been relying on, among other sources of financing, the illegal exploitation of these resources to fund their activities; whereas the Congolese Catholic Church claims that the ADF is responsible for the deaths of around 6 000 civilians in Beni between 2013 and 2021 and more than 2 000 in Bunia in 2020 alone; whereas in 2024, a large number of Christians were killed in the DRC by jihadists; whereas civilians in the DRC’s eastern provinces are facing an increasing number of attacks, killings and abductions, as well as church bombings and the destruction of (religious) property, perpetrated by armed groups with extremist and jihadist ideologies; whereas most victims of ADF attacks have been Christian; whereas these attacks undermine religious freedom and exacerbate intercommunal tensions; whereas the Catholic bishops of the DRC spoke out in an April 2021 statement about the threat of the ‘Islamization of the region [North Kivu] as a sort of deeper strategy for a long-term negative influence on the general political situation of the country’;

F.  whereas in 2021, a prominent local Muslim leader received death threats from the ADF, and he was later gunned down; whereas in 2023, the ADF bombed services at a Pentecostal church in Kasindi, killing 14 people; whereas the ADF has been linked to an attack on the village of Mukondi in 2023, in which at least 44 civilians were killed, according to local authorities; whereas the group claimed 48 attacks in December 2024 alone, killing over 200 people; whereas in January 2024, the ADF killed eight people in Beni during an attack on a Pentecostal church and, in May 2024, ADF assailants reportedly killed 14 Catholics in the North Kivu province for refusing to convert to Islam; whereas the ADF also reportedly executed 11 Christians in the village of Ndimo in Ituri province and kidnapped several others;

G.  whereas local and international human rights organisations have documented numerous instances of religious violence in the DRC, while stressing the urgent need for the state to provide adequate protection; whereas, while the DRC Government has demonstrated a strong intention to address the impacts of armed group violence in the eastern DRC, other recent developments call into question the government’s commitment to safeguarding religious freedom specifically; whereas women and children are particularly vulnerable to rape as weapon of war, human trafficking and sexual slavery;

H.  whereas the Armed Forces of the DRC have been conducting a joint military offensive, Operation Shujaa, with the Ugandan People’s Defence Force against the ADF and other insurgent forces in the eastern DRC since November 2021; whereas the conflict between the DRC Government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels has led to a decrease in the funds, personnel and equipment being allocated to this counterterrorism operation;

I.  whereas the right to freedom of religion and belief is a fundamental human right and must be protected given the high level of violence and persecution; whereas the Constitution of the DRC provides for freedom of religion and prohibits discrimination based on religious belief;

J.  whereas over 7 million people in the DRC are currently displaced because of the wider ongoing conflicts, with limited access to food, water, healthcare and essential services; whereas state authorities and rebel groups have obligations to civilians under international humanitarian law, including protecting and facilitating access to humanitarian assistance, and permitting freedom of movement;

K.  whereas women and children in the DRC face increased levels of sexual and gender-based violence, including rape as a weapon of war, resulting in there being one victim of rape every four minutes;

L.  whereas the illegal exploitation of mineral resources continues to fuel conflict in the region, necessitating stronger international oversight and responsible sourcing policies;

M.  whereas in March 2025, President Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda issued a joint statement announcing a ceasefire; whereas despite this, the violence perpetrated by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels continues;

N.  whereas the DRC has one of the highest rates of internal displacement in the world; whereas many women and children live in precarious conditions and are being exposed to the risk of harassment, assault, sexual exploitation and forced military recruitment; whereas displaced populations often receive no basic life-saving services and are at risk of malnutrition and disease; whereas cities that host internally displaced people in precarious circumstances are also targets of attacks by different militias, causing great distress to the displaced communities and to the local population;

O.  whereas the EU has committed to supporting stability in the DRC through diplomatic engagement, financial assistance and targeted sanctions against individuals responsible for violence and human rights abuses; whereas on 17 March 2025, the EU imposed sanctions on nine individuals and one entity responsible for acts that constitute serious human rights violations and abuses or that sustain the conflict in the DRC, including through the illegal exploitation of resources, but further diplomatic and economic measures may be necessary;

P.  whereas the Council has renewed the EU’s financial support for the deployment of Rwandan Defence Force (RDF) troops in Mozambique under the European Peace Facility (EPF); whereas the head of these forces was previously deployed in the eastern DRC to support abuses committed by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, giving rise to serious doubt as to whether there are sufficient safeguards attached to EPF support, including effective vetting and other human rights requirements;

Q.  whereas the EU has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to the promotion and protection of religious freedom globally, and has taken steps to combat religious persecution and intolerance in various parts of the world; whereas Christians are the largest persecuted religious group in the world;

R.  whereas Parliament has consistently called for the strengthening of international efforts to combat religious persecution and to hold accountable those responsible for attacks on minority communities;

1.  Strongly condemns the occupation of Goma and other territories in the eastern DRC by M23 and the RDF as an unacceptable breach of the DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity; urges the Rwandan Government to withdraw its troops from DRC territory, the presence of whom is a clear violation of international law and the UN Charter, and cease cooperation with the M23 rebels; demands that Rwanda and all other potential state actors in the region cease their support for M23;

2.  Expresses deep concern at the alarming continuation of violence; deplores the loss of life and the attacks, both indiscriminate and targeted, against civilians; expresses deep concern over the worsening security and humanitarian crises in the eastern DRC as a whole; calls for the immediate cessation of all forms of violence and for the commitment of all parties involved in the ongoing conflict in the eastern DRC to respect international humanitarian law;

3.  Strongly condemns the targeted terrorist attacks carried out by the ADF against Christian communities in the eastern DRC, including killings, abductions and the destruction of religious property, and calls for an immediate halt to such acts of violence; expresses its solidarity with the families of the victims and with Christian communities;

4.  Strongly condemns the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group and the ADF, as well as other rebel groups, and their egregious human rights abuses that amount to crimes against humanity in accordance with the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC); underlines that there must be no impunity for the perpetrators of these acts and that those responsible should be referred to the ICC; encourages the establishment of an international commission of inquiry to examine the human rights violations committed in the DRC, renewed investigations in North Kivu by the ICC Prosecutors Office and the creation of a special tribunal for atrocity crimes in the DRC, including crimes committed against Christian communities; backs the efforts by the National Episcopal Conference of Congo and the Church of Christ in Congo, which launched the ‘Social pact for peace and coexistence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes Region’, with the aim of restoring peace in the country’s eastern provinces;

5.  Supports the international efforts against the ADF, including the Shujaa counterterrorism operation carried out jointly by the DRC and Ugandan armed forces; encourages the EU Member States to consider ways of contributing to these efforts, including increased efforts to trace and interdict ISIS secret funds held overseas and to trace any raw materials stemming from their illegal exploitation by the ADF; calls for the EU to support the necessary capacity-building and expertise to combat ADF ideology and rhetoric, particularly within the Muslim communities of both Uganda and the DRC, to prevent recruitment among those communities; requests the application of the EU global human rights sanctions regime to those responsible for planning, ordering or participating in the killing of Christians in the DRC;

6.  Calls for an immediate and effective ceasefire, and for the full implementation of diplomatic agreements, including the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes; underlines the urgent need for the stabilisation of the country and reiterates its call on M23 to halt its territorial advances and withdraw from the territory of the DRC;

7.  Reiterates its full support for the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) in protecting civilians and stabilising the region; urges the EU to cooperate with all actors on the ground, in particular MONUSCO, to ensure the protection of civilians in the eastern DRC; calls on the UN to work towards a stronger mandate for MONUSCO in order to enable peacemaking; calls on the UN to ensure the protection of civilians and respect for international humanitarian law;

8.  Urges the international community to increase support for services in the eastern DRC so that civilians who have been targeted can have access to legal services and psychological support; calls on the DRC Government to counter extremist propaganda; calls for the establishment of early warning mechanisms to more effectively prevent and respond to attacks by the ADF and other armed groups against civilians;

9.  Reiterates its call for all parties, including armed groups operating in the eastern DRC, to allow and facilitate humanitarian access to address the urgent need for essential services in the eastern DRC and neighbouring countries, notably Burundi; emphasises that humanitarian workers must be able to operate safely to deliver life-saving assistance to Congolese civilians; stresses that this is a central obligation under international humanitarian law, and that perpetrators violating these obligations should be held to account; calls on all parties to provide a safe environment for civil society organisations;

10.  Is appalled by the shocking use of sexual violence against women and children as a tool of repression and weapon of war in the eastern DRC, and by the unacceptable recruitment of child soldiers by the various rebel groups; demands that these matters be addressed by the international community without delay;

11.  Calls for stricter enforcement of the EU regulation on conflict minerals(1) to prevent illicit trade from fuelling armed groups in the DRC; reiterates its previous call on the Commission to suspend the EU’s Memorandum of Understanding with Rwanda; requests that the Commission share detailed mapping of current projects with Rwandan authorities and its assessment of whether they may contribute to addressing or may fail to address human rights violations either inside Rwanda or in the DRC;

12.  Calls for the EU and its Member States to support the DRC in implementing the recommendations of the 2010 mapping report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), including reforming the security sector, strengthening its efforts to prevent further atrocities against civilians, and ending support for or collaboration with abusive armed groups; urges the DRC Government to ensure accountability for human rights violations and prosecute those responsible for attacks; calls for the EU and its Member States to support the DRC in fighting corruption, strengthening governance and the rule of law, improving security and ensuring the lasting protection of communities at risk, including religious communities, and to ensure that perpetrators of attacks are brought to justice;

13.  Underlines the role of communities, including religious communities and faith-based organisations in the DRC, in promoting peace, social cohesion and the well-being of local communities;

14.  Calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service to intensify diplomatic efforts by working closely with regional partners, including the African Union, the East African Community and the United Nations, in order to step up diplomatic efforts to achieve a sustainable resolution to the conflict and prevent extremist groups from using religion as a tool for violence and division;

15.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States to increase humanitarian aid to address the urgent needs of displaced persons and vulnerable communities in the DRC, ensuring safe access to food, medical care and shelter;

16.  Supports the imposition of further targeted EU sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for financing or engaging in violence, human rights abuses and resource exploitation; calls for the implementation of the sanctions outlined in the OHCHR mapping report;

17.  Confirms its commitment to freedom of thought, conscience and religion as a fundamental human right guaranteed by international legal instruments recognised as holding universal value, and to which most countries in the world have committed, and which is enshrined in the Constitution of the DRC;

18.  Echoes the calls for international solidarity in defending religious freedom and the protection of religious minorities in conflict zones, particularly in the DRC, while addressing the root causes of violent extremism in the DRC and its neighbourhood;

19.  Urges the EU to uphold its commitment to the promotion of religious freedom and the protection of communities, including religious communities, ensuring that the rights of these groups are prioritised in the EU’s external policies;

20.  Notes, with concern, the growing influence of the Russian Orthodox Church in Africa, which is a staunch supporter of the Putin regime and its violent, unlawful war in Ukraine; underlines that this development raises significant questions regarding the broader geopolitical and ideological objectives of the Russian Federation in Africa;

21.  Deplores the fact that Rwanda announced the termination of its diplomatic relations with Belgium, and expresses its solidarity with Belgium;

22.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Governments and Parliaments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, the African Union, the secretariats of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Southern African Development Community and the East African Community, and other relevant international bodies.