Accra: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has condemned Rwanda for supporting a rebel offensive in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and called for an immediate withdrawal of its forces and cessation of support for the M23 armed group.
According to Nam News Network, the UNSC unanimously adopted a resolution extending the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO, for another year. This decision follows Rwanda’s repeated denials, despite substantial evidence, of involvement in a conflict exacerbated by the unraveling of a United States-brokered peace agreement.
The UNSC highlighted that M23’s capture of the strategic city of Uvira poses a risk to regional stability, endangers civilian populations, and threatens ongoing peace efforts. Jennifer Locetta, a US representative to the UN, stated that M23 must withdraw at least 75 kilometers from Uvira and adhere to its commitments under the Framework Agreement.
M23 seized Uvira in South Kivu Province on December 10, shortly after DR
C and Rwandan leaders met with US President Donald Trump in Washington to affirm a peace accord. President Trump celebrated the meeting as a significant achievement for Africa and the world, but fighting soon undermined the optimistic outlook.
Local residents, such as Feza Mariam from Uvira, expressed skepticism about political processes, emphasizing the urgent need for peace rather than political maneuvering. Despite claims by M23 of withdrawing from Uvira, the DRC government dismissed these as misleading, asserting that M23 forces remain active.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that commitments under the Washington accord were unmet but indicated new agreements were established for accountability. The US had previously warned of potential actions against those undermining the peace deal, estimating that 5,000 to 7,000 Rwandan soldiers were in eastern DRC as of early December.
Sanctions against Rwandan officials were imposed by the US earlier this year, and the DRC has since advocated for br
oader sanctions following the capture of Uvira. The conflict has resulted in a humanitarian crisis, with over 84,000 people fleeing to Burundi since early December, according to the UN refugee agency. The situation remains dire as refugees arrive in critical condition, joining approximately 200,000 others already displaced.
Regional authorities report that recent violence in Uvira has claimed over 400 civilian lives. The city’s strategic location across Lake Tanganyika from Burundi’s largest city, Bujumbura, has raised concerns about a potential regional spillover. Uvira was the last major stronghold in South Kivu for the DRC government and allied militias after M23 took control of Bukavu, the provincial capital, in February.
Despite consistent denials from Rwanda regarding its support for M23, UN experts and the international community have provided assessments suggesting otherwise. Rwandan President Paul Kagame, in a February interview, expressed uncertainty about the presence of Rwandan troops in the DRC
. Rwanda later acknowledged having forces in eastern DRC but justified their presence as self-defense against threats from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia composed mainly of Hutus linked to the 1994 genocide.
The broader conflict in eastern DRC, a region rich in minerals and home to more than 100 armed groups, has displaced over seven million people, contributing to one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.