The security situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is still worrying, with the persistence of armed groups such as the FDLR (Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda) and the M23, which occupy large territories in the region. . Repeated calls by UN and US experts for the DRC and Rwanda to stop cooperating with these groups have yet to bear fruit.
Indeed, during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Robert A. Wood, urged the armed forces of the DRC to stop collaborate with armed groups, while the American diplomat reiterated the call for Kigali to withdraw its troops from the DRC and stop supporting the M23.
At the same time, UN experts uncovered further evidence of Kigali’s support for M23, confirming fears already expressed by the local population, civil society and the Congolese government.
The regional EACRF force, created in 2022 to stop the M23 advance, has recovered some of the rebel strongholds but is struggling to cope with the situation on the ground. This is why Kinshasa has decided to turn to SADC for a more comprehensive solution to the crisis in the region.
In this context, the diplomatic initiative is the way forward for a sustainable eradication of armed groups and to address the root causes of the conflict in eastern DRC, in order to guarantee peace and stability in the region.