UN warns of escalating insecurity in DR Congo

UN Special Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Bintou Keita reported “Political tensions around calls to revise the Constitution, and the continued and escalating insecurity in North Kivu and Ituri, especially related to the activity of ADF, M23, CODECO and Zaïre.”

Addressing the Security Council today (9 Dec) Keita said, “The M23, a non-signatory of the ceasefire agreement, has consolidated its civilian and military occupation in North Kivu. Today, it controls vast areas in the territories of Masisi, Rutshuru, Walikale, Nyiragongo, and Lubero, a space twice as large as what it occupied in 2012. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) remain the deadliest armed group, with hundreds of civilians killed in recent months.”

She also said, “The prevailing security environment continues to alarmingly exacerbate the humanitarian situation, further intensified by ever-growing climate change challenges. According to OCHA, almost 6.4 million people are currently displaced due to armed conflicts and natural hazards. Multiple epidemics have also aggravated the humanitarian situation.”

On the renewal of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, DRC’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, said, “The renewal of MONUSCO’s mandate must imperatively reflect the regional dimension of the conflict while maintaining a conditional and responsible approach to its gradual withdrawal. This is essential to address cross-border threats and ensure that no security vacuum is left behind.”

Ernest Rwamucyo, Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations, said, “Framing this as intra-African hostility diminishes the complexity of the conflict and the roles of various actors involved. This is not a “Rwanda-DRC issue” but a multifaceted crisis that demands nuanced understanding and coordinated action from the international community.”

Mateus Luemba, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Angola to the United Nations, announced that a tripartite summit Angola-Rwanda-DRC will be held in Luanda on 15 December 2024, “under the auspices of President Lourenço, for further steps towards accelerating stabilization efforts for peace in the east of DRC. This summit represents the culmination of a series of mediation initiatives, to achieving peace, stability and economic development in the region.”

He stressed, “However, we would like to be clear once again that Mediator’s efforts will only be successful if all concerned parties, and relevant stakeholders, including the Security Council, continue support the process to contribute to condusive environment of security and stability in the region.”