By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – United Nation Security Council on Sunday called for an emergency meeting over the spiraling violence and killings in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo after peacekeeper and civilian deaths.
The head of UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, Bintou Keita said “we are trapped” and calls for immediate action to end the crisis
Ambassadors of Uruguay and South Africa, whose peacekeepers were killed by armed groups in DR Congo, appealed to the Security Council to protect UN troops
UN humanitarian coordinator in DR Congo raised fresh concerns on escalating violence
DR Congo’s foreign minister told the Security Council “the world is watching; it’s time to act”
South Africa’s ambassador said the current situation in DR Congo requires immediate action.
The Council must discharge its mandate in this regard, she said, and parties must work to bring this conflict to an end, he added.
UN chief Antonio Guterres condemned the escalating violence, deaths of peacekeepers from MONUSCO mission
Mr. Guterres has expressed deep concern over the Rwandan-backed advance of M23 rebels on Goma, and the deaths of two peacekeepers amid the offensive. A further 11 have been injured and are receiving treatment.
UN Special Representative for the country, Bintou Keita, briefed the Security Council on the latest developments, as the non-State armed group M23 advance on cities in the east amid reports of deaths and injuries of civilians and peacekeepers.
UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix and the Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Joyce Msuya also spoke at the meeting.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix told the Council that escalating violence is a grave concern.
“The fate of millions of civilians is hanging in the balance,” he said.
Three UN peacekeepers, two from South Africa and one from Uruguay, have been killed in clashes and more injured. The UN mission in the country, MONUSCO, continues to follow its mandate.
He said steps have been taken to support Government forces, FARDC. Security Council must call on M23 and all parties to comply with international humanitarian law.
“Today, despite ongoing MONUSCO support to FARDC, M23 and Rwandan forces penetrated Munigi quarter in the outskirts Goma city, causing mass panic and flight amongst the population,” Keitia said.
Roads are locked and the airport can no longer be used for evacuation or humanitarian efforts. M23 has declared Goma airport “closed” and falsely accused FARDC of using it in airstrikes against the civilian population.
“We are trapped,” she said.
“I call on this Council to act now to secure the civilian population, humanitarian aid workers, and all United Nations personnel,” she said.
Joyce Msuya, deputy UN relief chief, apprised the Council of the humanitarian situation on the ground.
She said more than 21 million people need aid across the country. In North and South Kivu hundreds of civilians have been killed, and hundreds of thousands have fled. Hospitals in Goma are overwhelmed, and humanitarian access is challenging.
Ms. Keitia urged all parties to avoid using explosives and heavy weapons in populated areas and to respect laws protecting civilians.
“All parties must take care to spare civilians and civilian objects,” she stressed.
She asked the Council to extend its influence to ensure parties respect international law, protect civilians and related infrastructure to address these escalating humanitarian crisis before it worsens,.
She asked for adequate funding to support humanitarian efforts. Right now, $17 million has been put towards lifesaving initiatives, but more is needed.
Ms. Keitia asked Council members to use their influence to end the crisis. “The scale of suffering in DR Congo demands urgent attention,” she said. “The lives of women and children cannot continue to go unnoticed.”
French ambassador to the IUN called on the Security Council to moblize and condemn this threat to international peace and security.
Sierra Leone ambassador spoke for Council members Algeria, Guyana and Somalia, said the resolution of the conflict must be found through political dialogue.
They condemned the killing of peacekeepers.
He commended MONUSCO for its support and called for continued support for the peacekeeping mission. He also called on the DR Congo Government to engage in diplomatic talks to achieve a lasting peace.
US ambassador said that no military solution can end the conflict
Ms. Shea called for mediation with M23 and other diplomatic efforts to end the crisis. All actors must put an end to support for armed groups and ensure the territorial integrity of DR Congo.
US remains alarmed by the recent report by the UN group of experts on the illegal exploitation of mining facilities in M23-controlled areas, she said. Washington will consider all tools at its disposal to address those who are sustaining clashes in the DR Congo, she added.
Slovenia’s ambassador said the Security Council cannot afford to remain passive, and civilian protection must be ensured. Indeed, the actions of armed groups “may amount to war crimes”.
Britain representative said actions against MONUSCO may constitute the basis for sanctions. Given the current situation, London has called for urgent de-escalation, he said.
He emphasized that “the fighting must stop; civilians must be protected.”
Security Council members and representatives of countries in the region continue to discuss the crisis in DR Congo, watch the full briefings of top UN officials, who just addressed the emergency meeting earlier this morning in New York. Russia’s ambassador condemned the M23’s actions and attacks on civilians and peacekeepers. The struggle to gain access to Congolese minerals is the root of the crisis, he said.
He called on countries with influence to use it to end the conflict.
Council members, Russia would continue to try to find the right language to ensure the return to negotiations to realize that goal.
They noted that instability in the Great Lakes region is a legacy of colonialism, he said Moscow will do “everything possible” to work to resolving the current crisis.
DR Congo’s foreign affairs minister: ‘The world is watching; it’s time to act’
Foreign Affairs Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner of DR Congo said Rwanda is planning “a brutality” against her country, bringing the region to the brink of tragedy.
“Each minute that is passing without decisive action by this Council is a victory for the aggressor,” she said. “The world is watching you. It’s time to act.”
Rwanda’s Defence Forces have stepped up attacks, violating the ceasefire agreement, aggravating an already disastrous humanitarian situation.
In Goma, the RDF has blocked roads, endangered civilian and humanitarian flights and continue to attack camps for displaced persons, she said.
The Luanda Process, endorsed by the African Union, has been sabotaged by Rwanda, she stressed.
She highlighted the plundering of Congolese minerals and attacks on civilians, peacekeepers and humanitarians. DR Congo will reject any attempt to include M23 in the Luanda Process, which is an agreement between States.
The Security Council must not remain inactive, she said, calling on it to act decisively to, among other things, order the end of hostilities, demand a withdrawal of Rwanda troops on Congolese territory and apply relevant sanctions and an embargo on all minerals labeled as Rwandan.
She also called on the Council to establish a regime to address systematic violations of arms transfers to Rwanda and remove the country from its list of troop-contributing nations.
Rwanda’s representative said the recent militarization of the DR Congo represents an unprecedented security threat to his country. The presence of Congolese forces and mercenaries “is unacceptable”, he said.
Rwanda is no threat to MONUSCO, she said.
UN forces were first deployed 26 years ago, MONUSCO is going beyond its mandate, he said.
The UN peacekeeping mission provides support to mercenaries and is being drawn into a conflict in violation of laws against supporting armed groups.
Indeed, the international community must take its share of the blame for the current conflict in its failure to ensure a resolution of the root causes and offer practical solutions, he added.
“We are committed to a peaceful solution,” he said. But, DR Congo has to play a constructive role and cannot “outsource” such efforts.
Humanitarian Coordinator in DR Congo, Bruno Lemarquis, expressed his profound concern regarding the intensification of ongoing fighting around the city of Goma and its growing impact on civilians.
It renewed M23 offensives near Goma on 23 January 2025, hundreds of thousands of people have once again been forced to flee multiple active conflict zones, with reception and assistance capacities already overstretched.
Several displacement sites on the outskirts of Goma, hosting more than 300,000 people, have been completely emptied within hours.
Humanitarian actors, including essential personnel who remain operational in Goma, are doing everything possible to address the needs of the most vulnerable civilians despite an alarming deterioration of security in displacement sites and certain neighborhoods of the city.
The proximity of fighting to densely populated areas and the use of heavy artillery impose intolerable risks on civilians. The emergency capacities of Goma’s hospitals are overwhelmed, despite support from humanitarian actors, UN agencies and partner concluded..
“On behalf of the humanitarian community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, I call on all parties to the conflict to immediately halt the military escalation. This violence exacerbates the suffering of populations in eastern DRC and worsens the already precarious conditions of civilians.”
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