Democratic Republic of the Congo
Expected Council Action
In June, the Security Council will hold a briefing and consultations on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Special Representative and Head of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) Bintou Keita is expected to brief.
Key Recent Developments
On 11 April, Council members held an informal interactive dialogue (IID) on the DRC to interact with regional actors on securing an urgent ceasefire in eastern DRC and the implementation of resolution 2773 of 21 February. The resolution condemned the ongoing offensive by the Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23) rebel group in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and called on the group to immediately cease hostilities, withdraw from the areas it controls, and fully reverse the establishment of illegitimate parallel administrations. (For more, see our 11 April What’s in Blue story.)
Following a first direct encounter between representatives of the Congolese government and the M23 in Doha under Qatar’s facilitation, the two sides issued a joint declaration on 23 April reaffirming their “commitment to an immediate cessation of hostilities, a categorical rejection of any hate speech, intimidation, and call on local communities to uphold these commitments”. This announcement came after Qatar facilitated direct talks between DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Doha on 18 March under the auspices of the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. (The DRC and Rwanda have engaged in mutual recriminations over alleged support for their proxies in the conflict. The DRC accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 while Rwanda asserts that the DRC supports the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR), an ethnic Hutu armed group active in eastern DRC that was implicated in the 1994 genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda.)
On 25 April, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted DRC Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and La Francophonie Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner and Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe, in Washington, D.C. He facilitated the signing of a Declaration of Principles between the two countries in support of a “pathway to peace, stability, and integrated economic development in the eastern DRC region and the resumption of normal bilateral relations”. The two sides also committed to developing a draft peace agreement, which was expected to be submitted for mutual review by 2 May. In a 5 May post on X (formerly Twitter), US Senior Advisor for Africa Massad Boulos welcomed the submission of the draft agreement by both the DRC and Rwanda. In a subsequent post on 15 May, he referenced his conversations with Presidents Tshisekedi and Kagame regarding the draft and the ongoing efforts to build consensus around it. It seems that the US has given a consolidated draft to the DRC and Rwanda. While the US seems eager to facilitate the signing of the agreement as soon as possible, there are contentious issues that may need some time to be resolved.
On 30 April, representatives from the DRC, Rwanda, Togo (the AU-appointed mediator), Qatar, the US, and France convened in Doha to discuss ongoing efforts to address the situation in eastern DRC. In their joint statement, these countries welcomed the joint declaration issued by the DRC and the M23 and the Declaration of Principles signed by the DRC and Rwanda. The representatives also expressed support for the ongoing regional mediation efforts by the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) under the AU leadership through its appointed mediator, Togo’s President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé.
Gnassingbé convened his first meeting with the EAC and SADC co-facilitators on 17 May. According to the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the discussion was focused on adopting a coherent approach in the African-led mediation efforts and ensuring the necessary coordination with other external actors, such as Qatar and the US.
Human Rights-Related Development
In a 26 March press release, UN human rights experts called for urgent measures to address grave violations against children in the DRC following escalating hostilities in the North and South Kivu provinces. These Special Rapporteurs said that the uptick in violence contributed to indiscriminate attacks on civilian populations, massacres and conflict-related sexual violence, in violation of international human rights and humanitarian law. In this regard, they called on all parties to the conflict, including those engaged in hostilities and persons in command roles in armed groups, to halt these atrocities and to uphold their legal obligations to protect civilians, particularly children.
On 4 April, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, updated the Human Rights Council (HRC) on the human rights and humanitarian situation in the eastern DRC at the Council’s 58th session in Geneva. In her statement, Al-Nashif highlighted how the scale of violence has hampered the ability of their Office to fully discharge its mandate of providing technical support to the Congolese authorities to strengthen the rule of law, advance on transitional justice and enhance the fight against impunity. She also said that nearly 26 million people are experiencing crisis levels of food insecurity. Among other matters, Al-Nashif emphasised the importance of the international community taking decisive, concrete action to facilitate a durable peace in the DRC.
Paula Gaviria Betancur, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, completed a ten-day country visit to the DRC, making it the first official visit from a special procedures mandate-holder in over 13 years. She travelled to Kinshasa, North Kivu, Ituri, and Tanganyika, where she assessed the human rights situation of persons displaced by armed conflict and intercommunal violence and presented recommendations to relevant stakeholders on addressing the root causes of displacement and improving protection, assistance, and solutions for IDPs. Gaviria Betancur will present her report on the visit to the HRC in June 2026.
Sanctions-Related Developments
In June, the Security Council will vote to renew the mandate of the 1533 Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) sanctions regime, which expires on 1 July, and of the Group of Experts assisting the 1533 DRC Sanctions Committee, which expires on 1 August.
It seems that the final report of the Group of Experts, due by 15 June, has already been circulated to Council members. At the time of writing, Council members were not able to meet and discuss the report and its recommendations, pending the appointment of chairs of Security Council subsidiary bodies.
Women, Peace and Security
On 26 March, the Informal Experts Group (IEG) on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) met on the situation in the DRC. Special Representative and Head of MONUSCO Bintou Keita briefed. According to the summary of the meeting, issued on 24 April by Denmark and Sierra Leone as the IEG co-chairs, together with the UK as the penholder on WPS, Council members discussed issues including sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and women’s participation in regional peace initiatives. Some Council members expressed concern about the situation of human rights defenders and women peacebuilders in eastern DRC. The summary says that “unprecedented levels” of SGBV, including conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), continue to be recorded throughout the country. In 2024, MONUSCO documented 823 CRSV incidents, affecting 416 women, 391 girls, 7 boys, and 9 men. The summary notes that adequate funding to support the UN in the DRC is essential for the organisation to be able to respond to “the shocking levels of sexual violence throughout the country”. The summary also provides an update on women’s participation in peacebuilding efforts and politics, including engagement by the UN to support this goal. It notes that “[n]otable progress” has been made in women’s political leadership following the 2023 general elections, with women’s representation in the cabinet growing from 28 to 33 percent.
UN Women, as the IEG Secretariat, recommended that, in any future decision on the DRC, the Security Council demand the immediate cessation of hostilities and that all parties guarantee the protection of civilians from violence, including SGBV. Among other recommendations, UN Women advised the Council to call on the parties to ensure women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in the negotiations for a permanent ceasefire and to urge member states and regional organisations brokering the talks to include women and gender expertise in their teams and to report to the Security Council on these efforts.
Key Issues and Options
A key issue for Council members in June remains the security situation in the eastern DRC, which continues to fuel tensions in the Great Lakes region. Recent fighting appears to have subsided following diplomatic engagements by multiple actors. Council members may welcome this de-escalation and are likely to continue supporting efforts to find lasting solutions through dialogue.
A related issue is how the various diplomatic initiatives by regional and external actors can be harmonised and streamlined. Although the objective of the informal interactive dialogue (IID) in April was to help Council members gain a clearer understanding of the coordination and complementarity among these ongoing mediation efforts, the meeting appears to have resulted in more confusion instead. In June, Council members may seek clarity on how the co-facilitators appointed by the EAC and SADC are coordinating with the AU-appointed mediator and how these African-led efforts align with external mediation initiatives launched in Doha and Washington, DC. The Guyanese Security Council Presidency could invite Gnassingbé to brief the Council.
MONUSCO’s disengagement process and the way forward, considering the changed security dynamics, remains an ongoing issue for Council members. In line with resolution 2765 of 20 December 2024, which last renewed the mission’s mandate, MONUSCO and the Congolese government were expected to submit a tailored strategy to the Security Council by 31 March for a gradual, responsible, and sustainable withdrawal—taking into account evolving conflict dynamics and protection risks. However, the escalation of the security situation in the eastern DRC since January significantly altered the context and affected the development of this tailored strategy. On 2 May, the Congolese government and MONUSCO submitted a joint note to the Security Council titled “On the Transition in South Kivu and the Disengagement of MONUSCO”. In June, Council members might be interested in a discussion with Keita on the recommendations for MONUSCO to be entrusted with the task of supervising a ceasefire in line with resolution 2773 and the decisions of the AU and its regional mechanisms.
Another issue of interest for Council members could be the termination of the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), which has been operating in eastern DRC since December 2023. Under resolution 2746 of 6 August 2024, MONUSCO was mandated to provide logistical and operational support to SAMIDRC. However, the mission encountered significant setbacks due to the evolving security dynamics in the region. In response, a SADC summit held virtually on 13 March decided to terminate SAMIDRC’s mandate and directed a phased withdrawal of its troops from the DRC. In April, SADC began the withdrawal process through Rwanda, as the airport in Goma—the capital of North Kivu—remains closed. Council members may wish to request the Secretary-General to provide an assessment of MONUSCO’s support to SAMIDRC, including challenges faced and lessons learnt from the experience.
In light of the reports of alleged human rights violations against women and children in eastern DRC, Council members could consider requesting a briefing from UN Women and the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC).
Council Dynamics
Following the joint declaration between the Congolese government and M23, as well as the signing of the Declaration of Principles between the DRC and Rwanda, France—the penholder on the DRC—proposed a draft press statement welcoming these developments. However, consensus could not be reached, as some Council members expressed reservations. The “A3 Plus” group (Algeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and Guyana) apparently felt that issuing a statement at this time might be premature given ongoing regional efforts. China also raised concerns, arguing that the Declaration of Principles relates to trilateral economic cooperation between the DRC, Rwanda, and the US, and may not be appropriate for formal endorsement by the Council.
Since the visit of Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix to the DRC from 27 February to 1 March, the Department of Peace Operations has apparently been exploring two potential options in response to the serious challenges MONUSCO faces amid the evolving security dynamics in eastern DRC: mandating the mission to monitor the ceasefire and redeploying its forces to South Kivu. It seems that Lacroix has raised the issue of ceasefire monitoring during the recent Security Council consultations on the DRC, a point also reinforced in a joint note by the DRC government and MONUSCO. However, it remains unclear whether these proposals will gain traction among Council members who have apparently expressed concerns about the mission’s inability to implement all aspects of its mandate in Goma and other M23-occupied areas of North Kivu. The US has consistently advocated for a strategic review of options for MONUSCO.
| Security Council Resolutions | |
| 21 February 2025S/RES/2773 | This resolution, acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, strongly condemns the ongoing offensive and advances of the M23 in the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces of the DRC–calling on the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) to cease support to M23 and immediately withdraw from DRC territory without preconditions. The resolution also reiterates an urgent call for all parties to conclude an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. |
| 20 December 2024S/RES/2765 | This resolution extends the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) for a period of one year until 20 December 2025–noting the continued violence in eastern DRC by the 23 March Movement (M23) and the persistent presence of other domestic and foreign armed groups in the country. |
| Security Council Meeting Records | |
| 27 March 2025S/PV.9887 | This was a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). |
