Security deteriorates in eastern DRC despite diplomatic efforts
New York, US (PANA) - The security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to deteriorate despite the increasing number of diplomatic initiatives, said UN Special Envoy to the Great Lakes region of Africa, Huang Xia, at a Security Council meeting on Wednesday.
The debates at the Security Council were marked by a heated exchange between Rwanda and the DRC, each accusing the other of violating its commitments. Deep divisions remain: the DRC demands the immediate withdrawal of Rwandan troops, while Rwanda emphasises the threat posed by the armed group, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
According to UN News, during the meeting, several delegations called for a verifiable ceasefire and the implementation of the Washington and Doha peace agreements.
In his presentation, Huang Xia highlighted the erosion of trust among actors in the region, which is hindering the implementation of political commitments. "Since my presentation last October, while the region has seen a notable intensification of diplomatic initiatives, the security and humanitarian situation has deteriorated alarmingly," he said.
These diplomatic initiatives include the signing of the Washington Agreements on December 4, 2025, and the resumption of negotiations in Washington on 17 and 18 March, following the temporary capture of Uvira, in South Kivu, by the armed group M23 in December; the establishment of the Ceasefire Monitoring and Verification Mechanism and the adoption of the terms of reference for the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus in Doha; the resumption this week of the Doha talks between representatives of the DRC government and those of the AFC/M23, co-facilitated by Qatar and the United States; and at the continental level, African efforts have intensified around the African Union Mediator.
Despite these efforts, the Special Envoy cautioned, the violence has taken on a new dimension, marked by the increasing use of advanced military technologies: drone attacks, GPS jamming and spoofing, bombings.
The tragic death of a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) employee on 11 March in Goma, North Kivu province, offers a painful reminder of this, he said.
"This Council cannot afford to see a cycle of violence repeated, which it has been examining for far too long. The full implementation of resolutions 2773 (2025) and 2808 (2025) is urgent," he stated.
In this context, Mr. Xia requested the Council's support in demanding concrete progress from the parties to the conflict.
According to him, the immediate priority is the establishment of an effective, verifiable, and fully respected ceasefire. Its credibility depends on the full operationalization of the Monitoring Mechanism and the Verification Mechanism, whose monitoring, verification, and reporting functions are essential to restoring a de-escalation dynamic.
For her part, the Executive Director of UN Women, Sima Bahous, argued that peace in the DRC will only be ensured when women are no longer considered collateral victims, nor their bodies as spoils of war, but as autonomous actors in the service of stability, accountability and peace.
"Without security, women cannot exercise their leadership, and without their leadership, peace and recovery efforts are doomed to failure," she said.
According to her, the same applies to the entire region.
Ms. Bahous made three requests to the Security Council. She called for equal representation of women in peacebuilding efforts in the DRC and throughout the region.
She noted that the Washington Agreements are completely silent on the role of women, on gender issues and even on sexual violence, which is both an emblematic characteristic and a determining factor of the conflict.
She called for the protection of the UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, and its essential mandate in the DRC. She cited the fact that activists and human rights defenders have benefited from its protection, and that the peacekeepers adapt their patrols based on alerts received from local women.
Ms. Bahous called for support for women-led civil society organizations and protection of civic space. "We could empower thousands of women peacebuilders in the Great Lakes region, at a cost far lower than military spending, and achieve significantly better results," she said.
-0- PANA MA 16April2026
