DRC's Security Deteriorates Despite Diplomatic Efforts, UN Warns

Many children in the eastern DR Congo are malnourished as they are not getting enough to eat.

US and Qatari diplomatic efforts to bring lasting peace to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have not yet led to improved conditions on the ground, where the security situation remains dire, the UN Security Council heard on Friday.  Despite diplomatic progress in recent months — including the United States brokering a peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, and Qatar facilitating a Declaration of Principles between the Congolese Government and M23 rebels — tensions remain high in the eastern DRC, where multiple armed groups continue to operate.  The Security Council has also sought to promote peace in the restive region, notably through its adoption of resolution 2773 in February 2025, which called upon all parties to refrain from violence against civilians. However, casualties continue to rise in the eastern part of the country.  “In North Kivu, the situation has escalated significantly since April,” said Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, while addressing the UN Security Council on Friday.  The DRC is currently facing one of the world’s most acute humanitarian emergencies, with food insecurity on the rise and 5.9 million Congolese people currently displaced from their homes.  Significant Escalation in Violence  “Regrettably, the evolution of the security situation on the ground has not matched the progress achieved on the diplomatic front,” Ms. Pobee stated.  Recent attacks carried out by the M23 and Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) armed groups, as well as assaults by the Congo River Alliance (CFA) — a militia linked to the terrorist group ISIL — have dramatically increased civilian casualties in the region.  Humanitarian workers continue to risk their lives in order to provide limited assistance to vulnerable populations, but ongoing violence makes their efforts perilous. Moreover, conflict-related sexual violence persists, and there has been a continued pattern of the forced recruitment of children by armed groups.  Urgent Need for Action  “We cannot and must not accept the extreme suffering and recurrent horrors that are commonplace in eastern DRC,” said Ms. Pobee. “To protect civilians, restore law and order, and address the profound humanitarian needs of the population, the parties must cease hostilities.”  At this critical juncture for the DRC and the broader region, Ms. Pobee emphasized that the international community, and the Security Council in particular, must place its full weight behind ongoing peace efforts. She also stressed the need for exerting influence to ensure compliance with resolution 2773.  “While the situation on the ground remains dire, genuine engagement by the parties, together with concerted support from the international community, will help lay the groundwork for a durable peace,” the top official underlined.  The Security Council’s adoption of resolution 2773, aimed at curbing violence against civilians, remains a pivotal step in efforts to stabilize the region. However, with the security situation continuing to deteriorate and humanitarian conditions worsening, the international community’s immediate and sustained involvement is critical to the long-term peace of the DRC and the region.