The United Nations has warned that fighting continues in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) despite diplomatic efforts by the United States, Qatar and the African Union to end the conflict, with worsening insecurity and humanitarian conditions threatening regional stability.
The UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, Huang Xia, raised the alarm while briefing the Security Council, saying efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire had yet to produce the desired results.
“A genuine ceasefire remains elusive,” Huang said, citing continued clashes in North Kivu and South Kivu, where the AFC/M23 armed group, which the UN says is backed by the Rwandan army, continues to expand and consolidate its territorial control.
He said diplomatic initiatives were progressing on multiple fronts, with the United States supporting negotiations between Kinshasa and Kigali, Qatar facilitating talks between the Congolese government and AFC/M23, and the African Union working to coordinate the processes and rebuild regional trust.
Some progress has been recorded, including the conclusion of a protocol on the disarmament of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the commencement of initial missions under a joint mechanism to verify compliance with commitments.
However, disagreements over implementation persist, while withdrawals by M23 fighters from some positions remain limited.
According to the report, clashes have continued in South Kivu’s Mwenga and Fizi territories, as well as in North Kivu’s Masisi, Lubero and Walikale areas. The conflict has also seen increased use of armed drones, heavy artillery and explosives in populated communities.
Other armed groups have contributed to the deteriorating security situation. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), affiliated with the Islamic State group, were reportedly linked to 211 incidents that killed 468 civilians during the period under review. The FDLR was implicated in 94 incidents resulting in 40 civilian deaths.
Between March 16 and September 15, the UN documented 2,186 human rights violations and abuses attributed to armed groups, representing 70 per cent of all recorded cases. AFC/M23 was reportedly responsible for half of those abuses, while Congolese security forces were implicated in another 891 violations attributed to state actors.
The humanitarian situation remains dire, with more than six million people internally displaced and over 26 million facing acute food insecurity at the end of June.
The resurgence of Ebola has further strained healthcare services. Figures cited in the report indicated that, as of September 19, authorities had recorded 7,672 confirmed cases and 3,699 deaths.
Huang also warned that illegal mineral extraction and trafficking continued to finance armed groups, calling for stronger supply-chain traceability to disrupt the conflict’s war economy.
He further expressed concern that tensions between DR Congo and Rwanda, as well as between Rwanda and Burundi, could trigger a wider regional confrontation.
The envoy urged all parties to translate diplomatic commitments into concrete and verifiable action, warning that the opportunity created by ongoing negotiations would not remain open indefinitely.
