UN Top Official Urges Immediate Ceasefire in Eastern DR Congo

Amid escalating violence in eastern DR Congo, a top UN official has called for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further humanitarian crises and instability in the region.

Bintou Keita, the United Nations special envoy to Congo, urged for an immediate ceasefire and a cessation of hostilities “without conditions” from rebels in eastern Congo supported by Rwanda.

“There is no military solution to alleviate this suffering. Achieving peace, security, and development in eastern DRC necessitates ending the violence and committing to inclusive dialogue and reconciliation,” Keita stated during a Friday briefing with reporters.

Rebels supported by Rwanda have taken control of two major cities in the mineral-rich eastern region of Congo within a month, following a significant escalation in their longstanding conflict against the overstretched and weakened Congolese forces.

Supported by thousands of troops from neighboring Rwanda, the M23 rebels initially captured Goma last month and have now advanced to Bukavu this weekend. This unprecedented movement marks their most significant advance since they took up arms over a decade ago, escalating fears of a potential regional war.

According to U.N. experts, the rebels receive support from approximately 4,000 troops hailing from neighboring Rwanda and have occasionally expressed intentions to advance as far as Kinshasa, Congo’s capital city located over 1,000 miles away.

M23 is among approximately 100 armed groups competing for power in eastern Congo. However, unlike the others, this group primarily consists of ethnic Tutsis who were unable to integrate into the Congolese army.

The group claims to be protecting ethnic Tutsis and Congolese of Rwandan descent from discrimination, but critics argue that their campaign, supported by Rwanda, is merely a cover for seeking economic and political control over eastern Congo.

According to experts from the U.S. and U.N., neighboring Rwanda is providing M23 with military assistance in the form of troops and weapons.

Rwanda’s longstanding President, Paul Kagame, has accused Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi of disregarding the issues faced by Congo’s ethnic Tutsis and failing to honor previous peace agreements.

Keita, the head of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo, stated that after Goma’s fall, 1,400 high-risk individuals have sought protection from MONUSCO and described the situation as becoming unsustainable.

Keita stated, “MONUSCO urgently seeks a secure and dignified solution for relocating these individuals to an alternate location, ensuring their rights and choices are fully respected with international support.” Keita added that the ongoing occupation of areas in North Kivu by M23, backed by the Rwandan Defense Forces, has significantly hindered MONUSCO’s capacity to effectively carry out its mandate in the province.

Keita stated that MOMUSCO “firmly condemns the ongoing actions and atrocities perpetrated by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), whose violent attacks on civilians have resulted in significant suffering in eastern DRC.”

This month, the U.N. Human Rights Council initiated a commission to investigate atrocities committed by both sides, including allegations of rapes and killings similar to “summary executions.”