Democratic Republic of the Congo: Informal Interactive Dialogue
Tomorrow morning (26 November), Security Council members will hold an informal interactive dialogue (IID) on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). (IIDs are closed, informal meetings chaired by the Council president that allow for the participation of non-Council members.) France, the penholder on the DRC, and Sierra Leone are convening the meeting to receive a briefing on the current state of the various mediation processes aimed at addressing the situation in eastern DRC.
During the meeting, Council members will hear from representatives of the US and Qatar, given the two countries’ roles in mediation efforts known as the Washington and Doha processes, respectively. A representative of Togo is also expected to brief in the country’s capacity as the facilitator of the African Union (AU) on the DRC. UN briefers at the meeting will include the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, Huang Xia; the Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO), Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee; and the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Protection and Operations in the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), Vivian van de Perre. Regional countries, including the DRC and Rwanda, are also expected to participate in the meeting.
France and Sierra Leone have circulated a concept note ahead of tomorrow’s meeting, which highlights developments since the last IID on the situation in eastern DRC, held on 11 April. (For more information, see our 11 April What’s in Blue story.) According to the concept note, the representatives of the mediators are expected to outline the present dynamics of the various processes, anticipated outcomes, and ways in which the Council can support the peace efforts, including a possible role for MONUSCO in ceasefire monitoring. This information will be pertinent for Council members, especially as they prepare for MONUSCO’s mandate renewal negotiations in December.
On 30 October, France and Togo hosted a ministerial-level conference on the Great Lakes region on the margins of the Paris Peace Forum in order to mobilise international support for responding to the humanitarian emergency in eastern DRC and to bolster ongoing mediation efforts. In particular, France has reportedly been advocating for the reopening of Goma International Airport to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The airport has been closed to civilian flights since January, following the capture of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, by the Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23) rebel group. The M23 has apparently rejected calls to reopen the airport, arguing that only the group has the authority to make such a decision. Rwanda also maintained during the Paris conference that there was no consensus on this issue.
At tomorrow’s meeting, the US representative may describe a series of follow-up meetings held in Washington, D.C., under the various mechanisms established to monitor implementation of the 27 June peace agreement signed between the DRC and Rwanda. The most recent of these was the fourth meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism, held on 20 November. The mechanism is responsible for overseeing implementation of the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for the harmonised plan for the neutralisation of the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR)—an ethnic Hutu armed group active in eastern DRC and implicated in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda—and to facilitate Rwanda’s disengagement of forces and the lifting of its defensive measures, in line with the peace agreement. There are also indications that the US is planning to host a summit in Washington, D.C., between DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Although the meeting dates have shifted several times, it may take place in the near future.
Meanwhile, Qatar has been facilitating talks in Doha between representatives of the Congolese government and the M23. On 23 April, the two sides issued a joint declaration reaffirming their commitment to an immediate cessation of hostilities and their categorical rejection of hate speech and intimidation, while also calling on local communities to uphold these commitments. On 19 July, they signed a Declaration of Principles in Doha that included a commitment to a ceasefire. Since then, negotiations have been ongoing to reach a comprehensive peace agreement.
At tomorrow’s meeting, the Qatari representative is likely to elaborate on the Doha Framework for Peace signed on 15 November by the Congolese government and the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a politico-military coalition operating in eastern DRC, of which the M23 is a major component. In that framework, the parties affirmed their commitment to addressing the root causes of the conflict through structured dialogue, confidence-building measures, and a phased approach to de-escalation and stabilisation. The Qatari representative may clarify that the Doha Framework for Peace is intended to serve as the foundation for a comprehensive peace process, with a series of protocols, annexes, and technical arrangements to be negotiated in due course to address specific issues, including the consolidation and verification of a ceasefire, modalities for troop disengagement, humanitarian access, reintegration, and support for national dialogue. The representative might also refer to the visit by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to Kigali and Kinshasa between 19 and 21 November, shortly after the signing of the Doha Framework for Peace.
On 22 November, Council members issued a press statement welcoming the signing of the Doha Framework for Peace as an important step towards addressing the conflict in eastern DRC. They urged the signatories to translate their commitments into a permanent, effective, and verifiable ceasefire and to remain engaged in the negotiation process to finalise the additional protocols, annexes, and technical arrangements necessary for the framework’s effective implementation.
At tomorrow’s meeting, the Togolese representative may elaborate on the African-led mediation efforts, in addition to the progress achieved under the Washington and Doha processes, in which Togo has also participated actively. On 17 January 2026, Togo is expected to host a high-level meeting focused on promoting coherence and consolidating the various peace processes related to the situation in eastern DRC. Over the past three years, Security Council members have consistently emphasised the need to ensure coordination and harmonisation of the ongoing mediation efforts.
Xia may describe his support for the ongoing mediation efforts through his good offices. Pobee may focus on MONUSCO’s potential role in supporting the monitoring and implementation of any future ceasefire agreement in eastern DRC emerging from the regional mediation efforts. In their 22 November press statement, Council members expressed their determination to support the implementation of the peace process, including full ceasefire implementation, with the backing of MONUSCO and regional mechanisms. During the Security Council’s most recent meeting on the DRC, held on 30 September, Council members requested the Secretary-General to make appropriate recommendations on the mission’s mandate renewal, taking into account the evolving security situation on the ground and the ongoing mediation efforts. The Secretary-General’s upcoming quarterly report on MONUSCO, due by 30 November, is expected to address these issues. Tomorrow, Van de Perre may also provide an update on the security situation and MONUSCO’s efforts to carry out its mandated responsibilities amid challenging circumstances.
Despite the progress achieved in the Washington and Doha processes, the security situation in eastern DRC continues to deteriorate. According to media reports, clashes occurred recently between the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and the M23 in Walikale territory, North Kivu province. In the same province, fighting has also persisted in Masisi territory, where the M23 reportedly captured Katoyi, a town located about 100 kilometres west of Goma, as well as Mahanga. Additional clashes have been reported in Lubero territory in North Kivu, as well as in several areas of South Kivu province. Reports indicate that the M23 has seized several new areas following these recent clashes.
The Congolese government accuses the M23 of violating the commitments made in Doha, while the M23, in turn, accuses the FARDC and allied militias of launching coordinated attacks against it, including the use of aircraft and drones. In light of the deteriorating security situation, the FARDC reportedly called on the mediators in the Washington and Doha processes to take relevant steps in light of the alleged violations by the M23.
