Photo credit: Alexis Huget/AFP

Paris, 1 October 2025 – The Mediterranean Centre for Peace and Security (CMPS) expresses its deep concern regarding the alarming developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as presented this week before the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms. Bintou Keita.

Despite recent diplomatic efforts, notably the Washington Agreement signed on 27 June between the DRC and Rwanda, and subsequent declarations with armed groups, peace in the DRC remains largely elusive. On the ground, violence continues to claim lives and displace communities at an alarming rate. Since June, more than 1,000 civilians have been killed in Ituri and North Kivu, with many more facing threats, displacement, and hunger.

The persistence of hostilities by the AFC/M23 and other armed groups, including the ADF and CODECO, illustrates the gap between formal agreements and the security reality for Congolese civilians. The replacement of state institutions by armed actors, the recruitment of thousands of new combatants, and escalating attacks against civilian populations point to a crisis of governance, security, and humanitarian protection.

The severe underfunding of the humanitarian response is equally troubling. With only 15% of the 2025 humanitarian appeal funded, more than 27 million Congolese now face food insecurity, and lifesaving assistance is being suspended or reduced. This funding collapse, coupled with ongoing restrictions on MONUSCO operations and the targeting of humanitarian actors, threatens to deepen the humanitarian catastrophe.

CMPS reaffirms that civilian protection, the rule of law, and accountability for grave violations must remain at the centre of any peace effort. Diplomatic initiatives cannot succeed unless matched by genuine political will, respect for UNSC Resolution 2773 (2025), and strengthened support to Congolese institutions and civil society.

The crisis in eastern DRC is not only a national tragedy but also a threat to regional stability. CMPS calls on:

• All armed actors to immediately cease hostilities and respect international humanitarian law;
• The international community to urgently scale up humanitarian funding and support MONUSCO’s protection mandate;
• Regional and international stakeholders to ensure that agreements are not only signed but effectively implemented, with mechanisms for accountability and monitoring;
• States and multilateral institutions to reinforce dialogue and invest in durable solutions that address the root causes of instability, including governance deficits, impunity, and resource-driven conflict.

The DRC crisis highlights a broader lesson: peace cannot be measured by agreements on paper, but by the lived security, dignity, and rights of people. CMPS stands in solidarity with the Congolese people and will continue to advocate for pragmatic, rights-based, and sustainable approaches to peace and security in Africa and beyond.