Bintou Keita, the United Nations Special Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), delivered a sobering update to the Security Council, highlighting growing political tensions and worsening insecurity in the region. Keita reported escalating violence in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, where armed groups including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), M23, CODECO, and Za\u00efre continue to operate with devastating impact.<\/p>\n
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Speaking on the ongoing conflict, Keita stated, \u201cThe M23, a non-signatory of the ceasefire agreement, has consolidated its civilian and military occupation in North Kivu. Today, it controls vast areas in the territories of Masisi, Rutshuru, Walikale, Nyiragongo, and Lubero, a space twice as large as what it occupied in 2012.\u201d She added that the ADF remains the deadliest armed group, responsible for hundreds of civilian deaths in recent months.<\/p>\n
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Keita also drew attention to the worsening humanitarian crisis, which has been exacerbated by climate change and multiple epidemics. \u201cAccording to OCHA, almost 6.4 million people are currently displaced due to armed conflicts and natural hazards,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
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The session also addressed the future of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Kayikwamba Wagner, DRC\u2019s Minister of Foreign Affairs, emphasized the importance of a strategic approach to the mission’s gradual withdrawal. \u201cThe renewal of MONUSCO’s mandate must imperatively reflect the regional dimension of the conflict while maintaining a conditional and responsible approach to its gradual withdrawal,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n
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Rwanda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ernest Rwamucyo, urged the international community to recognize the complexity of the crisis. \u201cFraming this as intra-African hostility diminishes the complexity of the conflict and the roles of various actors involved. This is not a \u2018Rwanda-DRC issue\u2019 but a multifaceted crisis that demands nuanced understanding and coordinated action,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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In a significant development, Mateus Luemba, Deputy Permanent Representative of Angola to the United Nations, announced plans for a tripartite summit between Angola, Rwanda, and the DRC. Scheduled for 15 December 2024 in Luanda, the summit will be held under the auspices of Angolan President Jo\u00e3o Louren\u00e7o. \u201cThis summit represents the culmination of a series of mediation initiatives aimed at achieving peace, stability, and economic development in the region,\u201d Luemba said. He stressed that the success of these efforts would depend on the sustained support of all stakeholders, including the Security Council.<\/p>\n
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The Security Council session underscored the urgency of coordinated international action to address the deepening crisis in the DRC, with an emphasis on mitigating the security, humanitarian, and political challenges plaguing the region.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Bintou Keita, the United Nations Special Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), delivered a sobering update to the Security Council, highlighting growing political tensions and worsening insecurity in the region. Keita reported escalating violence in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, where armed groups including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), M23, CODECO, and<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":9714,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_1160854738579181570_1160854738579181570":"","facebook_3558452337540614_100649324928663":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[285,369,266],"class_list":["post-9713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-humanitarian","tag-amnewsworld","tag-kinshasa","tag-reporters"],"yoast_head":"\n