As Regional Tensions Rise, M23 Advances Further in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Top UN Officials Briefing Security Council Urge Warring Parties to Restart Talks
Amid rising regional tensions and the continuous advance of the 23 March Movement, or M23, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, senior UN officials told the Security Council today that the warring parties must return to the negotiating table and seriously work towards peace, while also welcoming regional efforts to resolve the conflict.
Bintou Keita, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), noted that this session is taking place in a context marked by the election of a new President of the African Union. Reporting that M23’s advance has continued to make progress in North and South Kivu, she said that, in two weeks, the Congo River Alliance has established a parallel administration in Goma. On 16 February, M23 took control of Kavumu airport and Bukavu, also seizing the town of Kamanyola two days later.
Since the taking of Goma, the Movement has prevented MONUSCO’s resupply of the troops of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission, and it has taken control of all roads entering and leaving the area. Noting that MONUSCOS’s facilities — which shelter civilians seeking refuge — are under pressure and pointing to deteriorating health and hygiene conditions, she added: “This is being used to amplify anti-MONUSCO sentiments”. Highlighting recorded searches by M23 of hospitals and homes for soldiers and civilians that oppose the group, she also noted the increased vulnerability of girls and women to conflict-related sexual violence.
Further welcoming the conclusion of the joint summit of the East African Community and SADC on 8 February in the United Republic of Tanzania — which insisted on the resumption of direct negotiations and dialogue in the context of the Luanda and Nairobi processes — she added: “It is crucial that what has been achieved won’t be lost.”
“At the end of January, we witnessed history repeating itself worryingly,” said Huang Xia, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, pointing to M23’s continuous advancement to strategic areas. Stressing that the risk of regional conflagration is more real today than ever before, he called on States to prevent the undoing of efforts over the past decade. He said that the joint summit of Southern and East African leaders marks “a key step in emergence of a regional approach” for a consensus-based crisis resolution and called for merging of the Luanda and Nairobi processes.
Highlighting the 14 February meeting of Heads of State of the African Union Peace and Security Council, he stressed that women and girls must be included in peace mechanisms. “As catastrophic as a situation may appear today, it may grow worse,” he warned, calling for resumed dialogue and revitalization of the Addis Ababa Framework Agreement on Peace, Security and Cooperation. Underscoring the need for a regional oversight mechanism, he added: “It is today time to gather around the negotiation table and to candidly discuss the root causes of the conflict.”
Violence and Support for Armed Groups Must End
“The drastic developments in eastern [Democratic Republic of the Congo] have stirred the nerves of the international community,” said China’s representative, stressing that a tragedy, similar to the First Congo War, should not recur. Observing that the risk of a regional war is increasing each day, France’s delegate joined others in stressing that all support for armed groups must end, and the Rwanda Defence Force must immediately withdraw from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“The violence must come to an end,” echoed the representative of Somalia, also speaking for Algeria and Sierra Leone, stating that M23’s continued territorial expansion threatens that country’s sovereignty and undermines the possibility of dialogue. Detailing African efforts to find a solution to this crisis, he said that SADC’s involvement in 2023 “signalled that an effective solution to the crisis in Congo would only be enabled by the active participation of broader regional actors”.
Delegates Urge Collective African Action amid Regional Threat Posed by M23
Similarly, the representative of the Republic of Korea underscored the need for Africa’s collective wisdom and concentrated action, while the Russian Federation’s delegate stated that a military path to resolving the crisis does not exist and the parameters for a peace process need to be determined by Kinshasa and Kigali together. The representative of Slovenia, noting that “civilians are caught in the eye of a violent storm”, said that the gravity of this crisis extends far beyond the immediate human tragedy and poses a significant threat to the broader stability of the Great Lakes region.
“What we are witnessing in North and South Kivu is nothing short of a man-made humanitarian catastrophe,” observed Denmark’s representative. For his part, the delegate for Panama joined others in condemning grave human rights violations, including the use of sexual violence and the forced recruitment of children. Pointing to reports on human rights violations in North Kivu, largely due to MONUSCO’s presence there, Pakistan’s representative recalled the Mission’s “untimely” withdrawal from South Kivu, adding with concern that: “Away from the eyes of an impartial entity, the violations of human rights in South Kivu could be much worse than in North Kivu.”
Spotlighting the regional threat posed by M23’s ongoing offensive in those regions, the representative of Guyana urged Council members, as deliberations on a draft resolution continue, to “focus on the bigger picture” and to support regional efforts to find a lasting solution to the current crisis. Adding to that, the United States representative stressed that the UN should immediately engage the Rwandan Government to underscore the importance of peacekeepers’ safety. Without a change in Kinshasa’s behaviour, the UN should re-evaluate its ability to participate in peacekeeping.
The United Kingdom’s delegate said that his Government may review its support to Rwanda, noting that the occupation of Bukavu may trigger a wider regional conflict. He condemned attacks on UN peacekeepers, noting that they could lead to UN sanctions. In the same vein, Greece’s representative, reiterating his support for the Mission’s work, stressed that it should be granted full access and freedom of movement. The protection of civilians, humanitarian and medical personnel should remain an absolute priority.
Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Foreign Minister Points to Over 4,000 Died in Goma in 48 Hours
However, Thérèse Kaykwamba Wagner, Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Francophonie of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, observed that, in 48 hours, more than 4,000 people died in Goma. She added: “Goma has been taken hostage by the war.” While the Council “observes but does nothing”, children have been killed “like targets at the shooting range”, she said, stressing that only the Security Council can prevent new massacres. Further, she noted that Rwanda’s presence in her country is no longer a matter of debate.
Welcoming certain international actions, she, however, stated that the conflict is a political project, spearheaded by Rwanda through M23 and the Armed Forces of the Republic of the Congo and to topple her Government. But, her country has chosen a democracy, she stressed, adding: “A democracy that is still under construction, but is ours.” She also said: “Ours is the people marked by war and promises postponed, but those who refuse to let weapons rule.”
Rwanda’s Speakers Says Kigali Had No Choice But to Strengthen Its Defence
Meanwhile, Rwanda’s representative, while commending the joint meeting of Southern and East African leaders, noted that, despite the critical nature of the recent regional discussions, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has opted for outright disengagement. He said that at the heart of this crisis is a dangerous alliance between that country’s Government and external actors. Since the fall of Goma, regional leaders have worked tirelessly to broker peace, yet Kinshasa has reinforced its borders with more troops and Burundian forces.
“Rwanda has no choice but to strengthen its defence,” he started, also pointing out that the M23 resurgence is rooted in decades-long persecution of Congolese communities. He also expressed concern over the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s push for more foreign troops from other African countries. “Congo is too big for Rwanda to carry it on its back,” he said, adding that his country has no interest in Kinshasa’s internal struggles. Highlighting the potential of historical and culture ties between the two communities, he added: “Our region’s future depends on unity, shared prosperity and inclusive peace.”
Countries from Region Urge Immediate, Unconditional Ceasefire
When countries from the region took the floor, many of them, including Malawi’s representative, called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, while Kenya’s delegate urged: “Please, let’s tone down the finger-pointing and give dialogue a chance.” Noting that “some of our SADC citizens” have made the ultimate sacrifice in pursuit of peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the representative of Zimbabwe stressed that the Security Council must recognize that African-led peace processes offer the most viable path to a lasting solution.
While Burundi’s delegate noted that the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is “exposing the limits and weaknesses of our current peace mechanisms”, he proposed a five-point peace plan, namely: international mobilization to avoid escalation; withdrawal of uninvited foreign forces and the dismantling of armed groups; intra-Congolese dialogue; an immediate, unconditional ceasefire; and the strengthening of regional and international mechanisms.
The representative of Angola recalled that his country’s President — mandated by the African Union to mediate the crisis between Kinshasa and Kigali — presented a report outlining his efforts to do so to the African Union’s Peace and Security Council on 14 February. Underscoring that progress made under the Luanda process must be preserved, he added that resolution of the “M23 issue” — the only pending matter to finalize and consolidate the draft peace agreement — falls within the scope of the Nairobi process.
“For the African continent to prosper, we need to truly silence the guns and harness our collective efforts towards development-focused solutions to prolonged challenges,” South Africa’s delegate stressed, noting that, together, States can shift the paradigm “from the battlegrounds of war to the corridors of diplomacy”. Urging the parties to the conflict to choose peace, she called on them to negotiate in good faith “for the sake of the future of the [Democratic Republic of the Congo], the Great Lakes region and Africa as a whole.”