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Democratic Republic of the Congo: Briefing and Consultations : What's In Blue : Security Council Report
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Democratic Republic of the Congo: Briefing and Consultations
On Tuesday morning (30 September), the Security Council will convene for an open briefing on the situation in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), including the work of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the DRC and Head of MONUSCO Bintou Keita is expected to provide a briefing based on the Secretary-General’s latest report on the mission, which was circulated to Council members on 19 September and covers developments since 20 June (S/2025/590). The DRC and Rwanda are expected to participate in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow the open briefing.
Keita is likely to highlight recent political developments in the DRC, where President Félix Tshisekedi has sought to consolidate his political base by forming a new government on 7 August, which includes some opposition and civil society representatives. However, this apparently did not meet public expectations for a government of national unity, considering the notable absence of prominent opposition figures or their representatives in the new government. It seems that Congolese opposition parties are supportive of an inclusive national dialogue spearheaded by the Congolese churches, but the government had apparently expressed reservations about this initiative. The Secretary-General’s report mentions Tshisekedi’s decision to appoint a team to work with the Catholic and Protestant churches, which have also agreed to allow other religious denominations to participate in the initiative to foster trust.
Another significant political development is the Congolese prosecution’s request to the Military High Court for the death penalty for former President Joseph Kabila, accusing him of treason, participation in an insurrectionist movement, homicide, rape, torture, and other serious crimes. The court has yet to issue a verdict, and is awaiting the presentation of additional evidence and witness testimony. Kabila, who had remained largely silent during a period of self-imposed exile, primarily in South Africa, has recently become more vocal. In May, he visited the rebel-controlled city of Goma in North Kivu province, a move that has reportedly heightened political tensions in the country. Early this month, the
Thabo Mbeki Foundation—which aims to promote development in Africa and to foster dialogue among Africans and other global actors—convened a discussion in South Africa focusing on the situation in the DRC. The meeting was attended by Congolese political actors, including Kabila, and representatives of armed groups such as the
Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23). The Congolese government apparently declined to participate, accusing former South African President Thabo Mbeki of bias in favour of the M23 rebels and perceived close ties with Kabila.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Keita may update Council members on developments in ongoing mediation efforts to address the conflict in eastern DRC, particularly since the signing on 27 June of a
peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda under US auspices. She may also describe Qatar’s mediation efforts aimed at facilitating dialogue between the Congolese government and the M23 rebel group. (For more information, see our
21 August What’s in Blue story.)
Reports indicate that the Congolese government and the M23 have agreed on a prisoner exchange mechanism, under which the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will facilitate the identification, verification, and safe release of detainees held by both sides. Additionally, Keita may elaborate on efforts undertaken as part of the African-led processes—which involve the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC)—including a decision to consolidate them and ensure the necessary harmonisation between the African-led processes and the initiatives led by Qatar and the US. (For more information, see the
brief on the DRC in our
September 2025 Monthly Forecast.)
Despite some progress in the ongoing mediation efforts, the security situation in eastern DRC appears to have deteriorated in recent months. A dramatic surge of armed group attacks prompted the Security Council to convene an
emergency meeting on 22 August. The Secretary-General’s report provides detailed information on these attacks and the alleged human rights abuses committed against civilians, including women and children. On Tuesday, some Council members may refer to a 5 September
report by the Fact-Finding Mission on the situation in North and South Kivu Provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (OFFMK), which was
established following a 7 February decision of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC). The report says that all parties to the conflict in North and South Kivu provinces have committed serious violations of international humanitarian law that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Against this backdrop, Council members underscored at the 22 August meeting the need to ensure accountability for crimes, reviving discussions about punitive measures that had been put on hold amid progress in the peace process. France, the penholder on the DRC, had circulated a draft press statement to condemn the surge of violence but it could not achieve the necessary consensus because of disagreement among Council members over a reference to the “Rwanda-backed M23”, which the US sought to include but the “A3 Plus” grouping (Algeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and Guyana) opposed. In his 23 September
statement at the General Debate of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Tshisekedi accused Rwanda of deliberately obstructing peace efforts and continuing its support for the M23. He also called for the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from Congolese territory. Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe,
speaking at the General Assembly on 25 September, accused the DRC of renewed militarisation and ongoing collaboration with “genocidal and sanctioned armed groups”, including the
Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR) and Wazalendo militias.
The challenges facing MONUSCO in fulfilling its mandate are expected to be a key focus of Tuesday’s meeting. Following the military advances of the M23 early this year and its control of large areas of North Kivu, including its provincial capital Goma, MONUSCO peacekeepers operating in the region have faced increasing restrictions, particularly on their freedom of movement and other operational difficulties. The Secretary-General’s report says that the mission “came dangerously close to depleting its local fuel reserves, forcing a substantial reduction in personnel, operations, and consumption”. Another significant challenge has been the inability of troop-contributing countries to rotate their forces, which has apparently led to considerable frustration. These challenges have prompted some Security Council members to request a UN proposal on the mission’s future—an issue that is likely to feature prominently during discussions on MONUSCO’s upcoming mandate renewal in December.
The UN’s liquidity crisis seems to have further compounded the mission’s challenges. It appears that MONUSCO is among the UN peace operations affected by the
rescission and
pocket rescission packages issued by the administration of US President Donald Trump in June and August, respectively, cancelling funds previously approved by the US Congress for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years. The Secretary-General’s report refers to the contingency plans prepared to “manage a potential shortfall in contributions, which in the worst-case scenario, would involve a drastic reduction of the Mission’s personnel and capabilities”.
Keita is likely to highlight the 3-7 September visit of Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix to the DRC, which took place amid these ongoing operational and financial challenges. According to the Secretary-General’s report, Lacroix met with Tshisekedi, other senior government officials, and representatives of opposition political parties in Kinshasa. During these meetings, Congolese authorities expressed support for MONUSCO’s continued presence in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, including in Goma and other areas currently under M23 control. Lacroix also conducted a field visit to eastern DRC, with stopovers in Bunia and Fataki in Ituri, and Beni in North Kivu. He apparently met with provincial authorities, assessed the mission’s efforts to protect civilians, and engaged with conflict-affected communities.
The UN appears to envision a role for MONUSCO in supporting ongoing mediation efforts, including the supervision of a ceasefire. However, the 27 June peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda did not explicitly request the mission to take on such a role. While there are hopes that the Doha talks will offer a path forward, negotiations between the Congolese government and the M23 appear to remain stalled.