Collective effort essential to get DR Congo on firm path to peace
Mobilization at the national, regional and international level are needed to support the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the face of continued violence in the east, trafficking of natural resources, and other challenges, the UN Security Council heard on Monday.
“We need to collectively remain engaged in assisting the country on its path to peace and stability,” said Bintou Keita, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for the DRC and head of the UN Mission there, MONUSCO.
Ceasefire and dialogue ‘framework’
There has been a notable reduction in fighting among warring parties in the volatile east since a 30 July ceasefire – announced by the DRC and Rwanda during a meeting facilitated by Angola – “but peace is not yet won”, she said.
“However, today, there is an active framework for dialogue between the DRC and Rwanda invested in proactive mediation, sparing no efforts to resolve this conflict, an operational instrument supporting this mediation and genuine prospects for peace which are now possible,” she added.
Ms. Keita told ambassadors that the DRC has made recent incremental progress in political and institutional reform but daunting challenges remain.
Natural resource exploitation
The past few months have seen competition over the exploitation and trade of natural resources which has further entrenched and exacerbated conflict dynamics in the east.
She said the recent intensification of violence in Ituri province is mainly driven by armed groups’ attempts to control mining areas.
“As profits have surged with the expansion of semi-mechanized goldmining, armed groups have become militarized entrepreneurs,” she continued.
“As a consequence, community leaders and depleted Government forces are struggling to contain armed groups, which have become stronger both militarily and financially.”
Thousands in profit
Additionally, the consolidation of the M23 military group’s administrative control over Masisi and Rutshuru territories in neighbouring North Kivu province has allowed it to establish full control over coltan production. The metallic ore is used in the manufacture of mobile phones and electronic devices.
Trade from the Rubaya area, which is estimated to supply over 15 per cent of global production of the metal tantalum, generates some $300,000 a month for the group, which she said is deeply concerning and must be stopped.
“The criminal laundering of the DRC’s natural resources smuggled out of the country is strengthening armed groups, sustaining the exploitation of civilian populations, some of them reduced to de-facto slavery, and undermining peace-making efforts,” Ms. Keita said.
She warned that “unless international sanctions are imposed on those benefitting from this criminal trade, peace will remain elusive, and civilians will continue to suffer.”
ADF group attacks
Meanwhile, eliminating the threat posed by the Allied Defense Forces (ADF) armed group in North Kivu and Ituri “has proven elusive”.
The ADF has intensified attacks in recent months, exploiting a vacuum left by Congolese armed forces’ redeployment to fight the M23. In June, 272 civilians were killed, making it probably the deadliest month ever for the group whose “neutralization remains a priority for the Mission.”
Ms. Keita told the Council that since January, some 2.4 million people have been displaced. Many are sheltering in overcrowded sites where they are vulnerable to diseases such as cholera, measles and a new threat, mpox. The DRC is the epicentre of the current epidemic on the continent.
Political tensions are also growing in the DRC, with opposition parties voicing concern over restrictions on political freedoms, arbitrary arrests, and the shrinking democratic space.
Other important issues include the “plague” of sexual and gender-based violence affecting the country. Humanitarian partners treated over 61,000 victims during the first half of this year – a 10 per cent increase over the same period in 2023.
Support peace efforts
Ms. Keita said the risks and opportunities that she highlighted require national, regional and international mobilization in order to support the people of the DRC.
“First and foremost, we must support peace efforts wherever conflicts exist,” she continued.
“The mediation process undertaken by Angola remains the best opportunity for reducing tensions between Rwanda and the DRC, but peace cannot be built in Luanda alone. It also requires investment in the provinces, the territories, the chieftaincies and the villages.”
She pointed to UN efforts in this regard. For example, following MONUSCO’s departure from South Kivu in June, the UN has supported the establishment of mechanisms for the unarmed protection of civilians.
Consolidating gains, protecting civilians
The Mission is also working together with national and international non-governmental organizations and religious institutions to consolidate gains achieved after years of investment in communities, women, young people and local institutions.
Peacekeepers are also continuing to protect civilians in Ituri. Together with the Congolese army, the FARDC, they have established a joint coordination and operations centre in the provincial capital, Bunia, and response times to warnings have dropped.
In North Kivu, MONUSCO continues to participate in maintaining a defense zone around the cities of Goma and Sake and is providing guarantees to protect civilians by maintaining bases in several locations, including in areas under M23 control.
Modalities for disengagement
Recalling that MONUSCO ended activities in South Kivu in June, Ms. Keita said that at the request of the authorities, the Mission is now engaged in an evaluation process “to ensure that we consolidate our departure and that we plan for the way forward following our withdrawal.”
It is estimated that $57 million will be required for the DRC to be able to take over the Mission in the province and the authorities have already committed some $30 million in a display of goodwill.
MONUSCO and the Government are working to define modalities for implementing the next steps for the Mission’s disengagement, which will be ramped up in the coming weeks.
“MONUSCO is leaving, but until our very last day, we will continue to protect civilians, support meaningful peace initiatives, facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance and assist the Congolese State in its stabilization efforts,” she said.
