Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

An increasingly volatile situation — driven by resurgent incursions by rebel militia groups — is killing and displacing civilians in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Head of the United Nations Mission in that country warned the Security Council today.

“The political and security context remains very tense,” said Bintou Keita, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in that country and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).  In the country’s east, the Congo River Alliance and M23 — supported by the Rwanda Defence Force — are consolidating control over the province of South Kivu, threatening to expand into the provinces of Tshopo and Maniema and installing a parallel administration.  All parties must “honour their stated commitment to silence the guns and pursue a peaceful solution”, she stressed.

Meanwhile, the overall security situation in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri — where over 60 per cent of MONUSCO forces are deployed — remains volatile.  The Allied Democratic Forces have exploited the security vacuum created by the redeployment of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to launch attacks killing hundreds of civilians.  Further, clashes between the Coalition of Congolese Democrats and Zaïre armed groups have escalated in Ituri.  The human-rights situation is also deteriorating, with abuses against civilians — including summary executions — and the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan is only 8.2 per cent funded.

In this challenging context, she said, MONUSCO remains fully committed to its mandate, protecting civilians and facilitating Government-led consultations with armed groups.  However, the dramatic deterioration of the security situation has seriously impacted discussions between MONUSCO and Congolese authorities on the gradual disengagement of the Mission and the transition in South Kivu. Reiterating that lasting peace in the east can only be achieved through a political solution, she called for the urgent reopening of Goma and Kavumu airports — lifelines for humanitarian efforts and key to the rotation of MONUSCO troops.

Also addressing the Council was Charlotte Slente, Secretary General of the Danish Refugee Council, who said that her organization has been “racing to respond to the erratic and constant movement of internally displaced persons seeking safety” since the end of January.  The recent explosion of violence in and around Goma has exacerbated the already-dire humanitarian situation in the east and led to 660,000 people being forcibly displaced — in addition to the 6.7 million already displaced across the country at the end of 2024.  “With little notice, families were kicked out of their shelters, forced to leave with nothing but the clothes they were wearing,” she said.

Detailing the appalling living conditions in makeshift camps, churches and schools, she noted widespread looting, shootings, rampant sexual violence, arbitrary arrests and reports of boys and men being forced to join armed groups.  “One person told us they wake each morning to find new dead bodies on the streets,” she recalled, adding that 98 per cent of her organization’s case management for human-rights violations has been for rape.  And, while humanitarian work is under extreme pressure due to recent funding cuts, the displacement crisis will only worsen.  Stressing the need to ensure safe and voluntary return for internally displaced persons, she also called on the Council to ensure humanitarian access across the country.

Kinshasa, Kigali Spar Over Causes of Conflict

In the ensuing discussion, representatives of Kinshasa and Kigali sparred over the causes and culprits driving the worsening conflict, with the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo citing the “chaotic” humanitarian situation in east.  He highlighted a series of atrocities perpetrated by the Rwanda Defence Force and M23, including killings, torture, massive destruction and numerous lootings.  The alarming situation underscores the urgent need to implement — “to the letter” — the provisions of resolution 2773 (2025) to end the violence and protect civilians.

He added that the extent of the violence suggests that “we can no longer allow this crisis to drag out for eternity, claiming that an African problem requires an African solution”.  Doing so, he stressed, would betray international solidarity.  To date, no Rwandan soldier has withdrawn from Congolese territory, and Kigali has shown blatant disregard for the peace process to which Kinshasa has been committed.  Increased pressure — including more robust sanctions — are needed against M23 and its Rwandan allies, he underscored, stating that Rwanda has no right to deploy its army on a sovereign country’s territory.

However, Olivier Nduhungirehe, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda, stressed that the conflict in the eastern region “was not started by Rwanda” — despite burden for the same being placed “squarely” on its shoulders.  The root cause of the violence is the continued preservation of the genocidal militia known as the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda — or FDLR — despite its record of ethnic massacres, child recruitment and destabilization of both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.  In that context, he underscored that “the defensive measures we have put in place will remain until there is a credible framework for long-term security guarantees along our border with the DRC”.

Calling the case of MONUSCO “particularly troubling”, he said that while today’s report accurately cites abusive armed groups, it shows a clear pattern of bias.  Alarmingly, “MONUSCO provided direct support to the military operation of the DRC coalition, placing itself in a situation of belligerence — even sometimes fighting alongside the same groups it was created to neutralize,” he stressed, adding that the Mission has wildly exaggerated claims of civilian casualties. Nonetheless, MONUSCO can still play a positive role if it abides by its mandate, he said.

Council Members Urge End to Violence

As for Council members, the representative of Sierra Leone — also speaking for Algeria, Guyana and Somalia — expressed concern over the “catastrophic” humanitarian situation in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is inflicting a severe toll on the Congolese people.  While urging an immediate cessation of hostilities, he nevertheless welcomed recent steps towards de-escalation, particularly the ceasefire announcement by M23.

He further welcomed the joint road map to peace adopted by the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), as well as commitments made by both Kinshasa and Kigali in Doha to remain fully engaged in the Luanda and Nairobi processes.  Stressing that all processes for peace and security in the Democratic Republic of the Congo should align with African-led processes, he stated that external mercenary forces risk exacerbating the situation.

Multiple speakers today, among them the representative of the United States, denounced the hostilities and the increasingly antagonistic rhetoric coming from Rwandan Government officials and M23 — including threats against senior MONUSCO leadership and false claims that MONUSCO supports the FDLR. Panama’s delegate pointed to reports of M23’s indiscriminate attacks against hospitals, abductions of civilians and gang rapes.

“There is no military solution to this conflict,” affirmed Pakistan’s representative, calling all sides — particularly M23 — to engage in all relevant African-led processes to reach a peace agreement.  The United Kingdom’s delegate, condemning the capture of the town of Walikale, stressed that the Rwanda Defence Force must withdraw from sovereign Congolese territory.  He also said that M23’s continued restrictions on MONUSCO have hampered the Mission’s ability to deliver key tasks.

However, the Russian Federation’s delegate pushed back on the “highly dubious” hospitality extended by MONUSCO to members of European private military companies — as the Mission’s mandate to disarm, demobilize and reintegrate former combatants “bears no relation to the events we witnessed thanks to media reporting”.  Given the potential further transition of MONUSCO, the Council must act without allowing the situation to deteriorate due to changes in the configuration of the peacekeeping presence in the country, she stressed.

On the humanitarian situation, the representatives of France and Slovenia condemned M23’s unacceptable restrictions on MONUSCO and humanitarian actors in Goma and occupied areas of North Kivu.  On that, the representative of Denmark — Council President for March — spoke in her national capacity to call for the immediate reopening of the Goma and Kavumu airports.  Further, she voiced concern over threats and reprisals against human-rights defenders, journalists, civil society and judicial authorities.

On the diplomatic front, China’s representative welcomed recent direct talks in Qatar between Kinshasa and Kigali, as well as the former’s decision to engage in direct dialogue with M23.  “China always supports African countries in solving African problems in African ways,” he stated.  Greece’s delegate agreed, urging leaders of both countries to re-engage immediately in political dialogue, while the representative of the Republic of Korea called on armed groups to engage in Kinshasa’s “Disarmament, Demobilization, Community Recovery and Stabilization Programme”.

Also on diplomatic engagement, Angola’s representative noted that, in 2022, the African Union mandated that his country’s President mediate the crisis. However, he recalled that the relevant summit, scheduled for 15 December 2024, did not occur as Rwanda insisted that the M23 issue be addressed, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo held that it did not fit into the framework of the Luanda Process.  Despite impediments, including some foreign to an African solution, the understandings reached within the framework of the Luanda Process constitute a solid political basis for further efforts, he emphasized.

Burundi’s delegate, for his part, affirmed that only a comprehensive regional solution will put an end to the current crisis and achieve lasting peace.  He also urged the Council to ensure implementation of resolution 2773 (2025), observing:  “Non-compliance with these resolutions risks weakening the authority of this Council.”  He added that failure to respect the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo could set a “dangerous precedent, which some States could make use of to nibble at portions of the territory of other sovereign States”.

MIL OSI United Nations News –