The security situation in eastern DR Congo remains as precarious as ever. The M23/RDF coalition is continually strengthening in the province of North Kivu with the objective of occupying the city of Goma. According to a report by the Ministry of National Defense, this coalition could soon launch a general offensive to achieve its objective. Regional diplomatic initiatives, in particular that of the EACRF regional force created in 2022 to stop the advance of the M23 armed group, have not yet yielded the expected results on the ground.
This is why the government of the DR Congo has decided to once again ask the SADC to help it deal with this security situation. The SADC created the Intervention Brigade (FIB) in 2013, made up of 3,000 men deployed to fight the M23. This brigade had succeeded in replacing the rebels in certain areas of the province of North Kivu. The last SADC summit held in Namibia thus validated the dispatch of SADC troops in the coming days to eastern DR Congo to strengthen this brigade and sustain its achievements.
However, political tension also remains high in DR Congo. As the crackdown on the opposition intensifies, opposition supporters are waking up and demanding a structured program to tackle the country’s political stakes. Meanwhile, Congolese political leaders are continuing their diplomatic engagement, including with China to renegotiate the deal of the century and secure a fairer distribution of benefits.
Moreover, unease persists in Kasai where scheming and immobility are hampering the economic and social development of this region. Finally, President Felix Tshisekedi accuses Rwanda of being behind the Teke Yaka conflict in Grand Bandundu which, according to him, threatens peace and security in this part of the country.
DR Congo continues to face many security and political challenges that require a coherent and integrated approach to achieve a lasting solution