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Peace in Democratic Republic of Congo Mostly a Promise, Mission Head Tells Security Council, Stressing That Reality Still Marred with Violence

Meetings Coverage
Security Council

10008th Meeting (AM)

SC/16184
30 September 2025

A few months after the signing of a United States-brokered peace accord between Kinshasa and Kigali, the Security Council today met for an open briefing on the situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with speakers emphasizing the need for positive steps towards a ceasefire and lasting peace, instead of continuing atrocities and a worsening humanitarian crisis.

"Peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is still mostly a promise," said Bintou Keita, Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), presenting the Secretary-General's latest report on the situation in the country (document S/2025/590).

"There are discrepancies between the progress we see on paper and the reality we observe on the ground which continues to be marred with violence," she added. Outlining progress forged since 27 June, including the signing of the Washington Accord, reached through the efforts of the United States, Qatar and the African Union, she noted the subsequent holding of two meetings of the Joint Monitoring Committee and Joint Security Coordination Mechanism.

Also highlighting the holding of talks in Doha, which resulted in the signing of a declaration of principles in July between the Congolese Government, Congolese River Alliance and 23 March Movement, she voiced concern that peace is slow to materialize on the ground. Pointing to the killing of 1,087 civilians in Ituri and North Kivu since June, she said, "The toll is growing day by day." Nonetheless, she highlighted steps taken to foster internal dialogue within the country, supported by President Félix Tshisekedi, adding that the 2028 general elections cannot be held in an atmosphere of security without such efforts.

Eight months after the passing of Council resolution 2773 (2025), its key provisions remain largely unimplemented, she continued. "The AFC/M23 [Congolese River Alliance/23 March Movement] have continued to pursue a logic of territorial expansion and consolidation," she said, reporting that, since their taking of Goma, the groups have replaced formal institutions with alternative structures, and trained more than 7,000 new recruits in camps. Pointing out that July was the deadliest month since the group's resurgence at the end of November 2021 in Rutshuru territory, she called on the Council to bring about a permanent ceasefire, stressing: "This underscores the persisting gap between the decisions of this Council and the realities on the ground."

"Nonetheless, violence is not the domain of a single armed group," she went on, describing an increasingly complex security situation, outlining attacks by myriad groups, including the Allied Defence Forces in North Kivu and Ituri, which have executed 300 civilians over the past three months, targeting solemn occasions such as religious services and funerals. On Sunday night, 3,500 people were sheltering in MONUSCO's base in Gina, following clashes between the Convention for Popular Revolution and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, she reported, urging armed groups that took part in the peace dialogue in Ituri to honour their commitments and release 400 children from detention.

She went on to voice concern over the worrisome human rights situation in South Kivu, where violations persist, although it is no longer under MONUSCO's operational mandate. In this context, she underscored the need for access for the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office to make inquiries on the ground and for the deployment of the independent commission of inquiry, for which financing is pending. Despite a challenging environment, MONUSCO is carrying out its mandate of protecting civilians under imminent threat, she said, calling for the withdrawal of movement restrictions. As well, she voiced concern about the underfunding of the Humanitarian Response Plan, which received only 15.2 per cent of the required funding, compared to 41 per cent at the same time last year. "If we fail to close these gaps, millions will pay the price on the ground," she stressed.

In the ensuing discussion, many Council members voiced alarm over the worsening civilian toll, amidst a fraught security situation, while others welcomed recent progress in peace talks. The representative of the United States noted that implementation of the "Washington Accord" is underway, with regular meetings of the joint security coordination mechanism and joint oversight committee, which should advance peace, stability and prosperity in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and broader Great Lakes region. He called on MONUSCO to become more efficient and effective — eliminating unnecessary expenses and redundancies.

Guyana's representative, also speaking for Algeria, Sierra Leone and Somalia, was among a smattering of Council members calling on parties to fully implement the Washington and Doha agreements. "Accountability for human rights violations must be pursued without exception," with strengthened support for national justice and rule of law institutions, she added. Illegal mineral exploitation and other root causes of the conflict must be addressed through effective governance, responsible resource management, and strengthened regional cooperation.

In a similar vein, Slovenia's representative underscored that "what is at stake now is credibility — credible dialogue, credible commitments, credible restraint on the ground, and credible protection for civilians". He too stressed that those agreements and establishment of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism and Joint Oversight Committee should be implemented "in lockstep and harmonized with African-led efforts", he said, calling on parties in mediation to show credible, good-faith conduct "in deeds, measured by behaviour, not only communiqué".

Also calling for concrete improvements on the ground, the Russian Federation's delegate emphasized that there is "no need to reinvent the wheel" in looking for a solution. Resolution 2773 (2025) must be implemented, with adherence to political agreements, taking into account the fundamental concerns of all parties involved, as the only viable alternative to "endless bloodshed". Voicing concern over developments in South Kivu, where the city of Uvira faces threat of encirclement by the 23 March Movement, she stressed that an essential condition to stabilize the situation is ending Government engagement with illegal armed groups — both the 23 March Movement and Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda.

Several speakers, including the delegates from Panama, Greece and Pakistan, voiced concern over the operational and financial constraints within which MONUSCO operates, with the latter calling for "worrying contradictions on MONUSCO" to be addressed. Pointing out that, while the Mission's capacity is being reduced, the Washington, Doha and African tracks rely heavily on it for ceasefire support, verification, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and protection of civilians, he stressed that the "consistent weakening" of the Mission is unsustainable. "We must strengthen MONUSCO, not weaken it," he added.

Regardless of the liquidity crisis affecting UN peacekeeping operations, MONUSCO's role should be reinforced to stabilize the situation in the eastern region and, where possible, support implementation of the peace agreement, concurred the representative of the Republic of Korea, Council President for September, speaking in his national capacity.

Similarly, the representative of Denmark, pointing out that international assistance is in alarming decline amid a worsening humanitarian situation, where sexual and gender-based violence is rampant, stressed: "Colleagues, it is urgent that we reverse this trend, immediately." MONUSCO, which offers a lifeline, protecting civilians in areas under or out of the control of the 23 March Movement, must be able to freely fulfil its mandates, a view echoed by the delegate of China.

France's delegate was among several speakers drawing attention to the dire humanitarian situation, with 7 million internally displaced persons, 1.2 million refugees in neighbouring countries, 28 million people, including 5 million children, suffering from malnutrition, and a 16 per cent increase in sexual violence in the first half of 2025 — a third of whom are girls under 16. "This should not prompt resignation, but rather the opposite," he said, calling for an unconditional, effective, and verifiable ceasefire.

For his part, the representative of the United Kingdom urged all parties to protect civilians and allow humanitarian access to vulnerable populations, in accordance with international humanitarian law. His country continues to support humanitarian efforts in the country's eastern region, with about $80 million in lifesaving assistance this financial year.

The representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, describing a humanitarian disaster in his country, exacerbated by "day-in, day-out attacks" of the Rwanda Defence Force/23 March Movement, pointed out that just this morning, hundreds of young people in Bukavu were taken to an unknown destination by an advance brigade of the coalition. In this context, he drew attention to "non-compliance" with Council resolution 2773 (2025), calling for the immediate withdrawal of the Rwanda Defence Force/23 March Movement. Quoting President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo's 23 September General Assembly address, he said the present situation is "not a conflict, but a silent genocide" that has been taking place for 30 years.

The massacre of 300 civilians, including women and children, in Rutshuru in July by the Congo River Alliance/23 March Movement, with support of the Rwanda Defence Force, is "part and parcel of a macabre trend", he continued, attributing such repeated cycles of atrocities to avarice for strategic minerals and foreign interference. "Every crime unpunished, every time we remain silent, new victims pile up, and the door is opened to new waves of violence," he said, calling on the Council to ensure implementation of Council resolution 2773 (2025) without delay; for a strengthened sanctions regime that includes Congo River Alliance/23 March Movement commanders; and for support to be lent to the International Commission of Inquiry.

Rwanda's delegate, for his part, stressed that resolution 2773 (2025), as incorporated in the Washington Peace Agreement, provides context for the situation and creates a mechanism for its logical implementation. Thus, since the issues are interlinked, addressing them as outlined in the Agreement would address all issues in the resolutions that came before it. The Doha Process is "a one-time change to bring lasting peace to the DRC" but requires full commitment and genuine political will from all parties, he added.

On the Secretary-General's report, he voiced concern about "the underreporting of critical facts, the imbalanced portrayal of armed groups, the persistent and dangerous presence of the DRC-backed FDLR [Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda] and the implication for MONUSCO's future role as the peace agreement moves into implementation". The report reflects troubling omissions, he added, especially "the failure to address one of the most dangerous drivers of violence — hate speech and identity-based persecution — which is "not something that the report must refer to in passing".

"You dare to speak of hate rhetoric when you are massacring the population of another country on its territory," countered the Democratic Republic of the Congo's delegate, taking the floor a second time. "We have democracy in the Democratic Republic of Congo even if it doesn't compare with Western democracies," he said, asserting that there is no democracy in Rwanda, as its political opponents must remain outside the country or be assassinated.

If democracy "produces what we see" in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, responded Rwanda's delegate, "then that's not the type of democracy Rwanda wants". Kinshasa chose to arm, organize and support perpetrators of the 1994 genocide in his country, he said, citing a report that says "they even have strongholds" in that country. These are Rwandese "who killed our people" and "still have that genocidal intent" and "should be neutralized", he stressed.