Democratic Republic of the Congo: Emergency Briefing : What’s In Blue : Security Council Report

Tomorrow morning (22 August), the Security Council will maintain an emergency briefing to debate the safety state of affairs in jap Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The US referred to as for the assembly in gentle of a current spate of armed group assaults within the area which left many civilians lifeless and injured. Assistant Secretary-General for Africa within the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO) Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee is anticipated to temporary. The DRC and Rwanda might take part within the assembly below rule 37 of the Council’s provisional guidelines of process.

In a 6 August statement, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned the “deadly attacks” carried out by the Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23) insurgent group, “backed by members of the Rwanda Defence Force  (RDF)”, between 9 and 21 July in 4 villages in Rutshuru territory, North Kivu Province. The assertion notes that, in line with first-hand accounts acquired by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the assaults resulted within the deaths of not less than 319 civilians, together with 48 ladies and 19 youngsters. The M23 rejected the allegations in a 7 August statement, describing them as “unfounded and politically motivated”. Similarly, Rwanda issued a statement on 11 August, dismissing OHCHR’s allegations towards the RDF as “false” and questioning the credibility of the workplace and its methodology.

France, the penholder on the DRC, has circulated a draft press assertion condemning the violence. Council members have been negotiating the draft textual content, which was positioned below a silence process till yesterday afternoon (20 August). The US broke silence, requesting the insertion of a reference to the “Rwanda-backed M23”. It appears that the “A3 Plus” grouping (Algeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and Guyana) opposed the inclusion of that reference. At the time of writing, the penholder was apparently consulting with Council members, and a revised draft has but to be circulated.

On 7 August, Security Council members issued a press statement condemning an assault carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)—an armed group affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh)—between the night of 26 July and the morning of 27 July. The assault targeted a church in Ituri Province, ensuing within the deaths of not less than 49 civilians, together with 9 youngsters. The ADF reportedly launched one other collection of assaults in a number of localities in North Kivu Province between 9 and 16 August, as soon as once more concentrating on civilians. According to an 18 August press release by the UN Organization Stabilization Mission within the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), these assaults claimed the lives of not less than 52 civilians, together with eight ladies and two youngsters.

In a 20 August X post, the US Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs indicated that the aim of tomorrow’s assembly is “to discuss the horrific abuses perpetrated against civilians, including by M23”. It added that such violations undermine progress in the direction of peace. The US has been concerned in efforts to cut back tensions between the DRC and Rwanda, facilitating the signing of a peace agreement between the nations on 27 June. The DRC and Rwanda’s relationship has grown more and more tense, because the nations criticise one another for supporting proxy armed teams within the battle in jap DRC. The DRC accuses Rwanda of backing the M23, whereas Rwanda claims that the DRC helps the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR), an ethnic Hutu armed group lively in jap DRC that was implicated within the 1994 genocide towards the Tutsi in Rwanda. Reports by the Group of Experts aiding the 1533 DRC Sanctions Committee have corroborated allegations made by each side.

Qatar has additionally performed a mediating function geared toward facilitating dialogue between the Congolese authorities and the M23. Following an preliminary direct assembly between representatives of each events in Doha, below Qatari facilitation, the Congolese authorities and the M23 signed a Declaration of Principles on 23 April. In the declaration, each side reaffirmed their dedication to a right away cessation of hostilities, categorically rejected hate speech and intimidation, and referred to as on native communities to uphold these commitments. Qatar has since proposed a separate draft peace settlement to be signed by the DRC and the M23; nonetheless, plans to facilitate the signing of the settlement on 18 August apparently didn’t materialise.

Several contentious points seem to have emerged throughout the negotiations. For occasion, the M23 is seemingly insisting on the implementation of confidence-building measures—resembling the discharge of prisoners of conflict—as a precondition for additional progress. However, the Congolese authorities maintains that such measures can solely be thought of as soon as an settlement is signed. In addition, different delicate points, together with the restoration of state authority and different governance preparations, have reportedly elicited robust reactions from each side. Although the 18 August deadline for signing the settlement was missed, Qatar seems dedicated to persevering with its facilitation efforts, and each the Congolese authorities and the M23 have reportedly expressed willingness to stay engaged within the course of.

On 25 July, Council members issued a press statement welcoming the signing of the peace settlement between the DRC and Rwanda and the Declaration of Principles in Doha between the DRC and the M23. Council members additionally expressed assist for the conclusion of a complete peace settlement and the implementation of a ceasefire, with the assist of MONUSCO and regional mechanisms. However, there appears to be rising concern that the most recent wave of assaults might threaten the implementation of commitments by the events, together with the ceasefire.

At tomorrow’s assembly, the US might spotlight among the follow-up conferences that befell just lately to facilitate the implementation of the 27 June peace settlement. On 31 July and 1 August, Washington hosted the primary assembly of the Joint Oversight Committee, which was established to assist the implementation of the peace settlement and to resolve disputes arising between the events. In addition to delegations from the DRC and Rwanda, representatives from the US, Qatar, Togo—the African Union (AU) facilitator—and the AU Commission participated within the assembly. On 1 August, the delegations from the DRC and Rwanda additionally initialled the textual content of the Regional Economic Integration Framework Tenets—a requirement contained within the 27 June peace settlement—which outlines cooperation between the edges on a variety of areas, together with power, infrastructure, and mining.

On 7 and eight August, the first meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism established by the peace settlement was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The mechanism is tasked with overseeing the implementation of the idea of operations for the harmonised plan to neutralise the FDLR and facilitate the disengagement of forces and the lifting of defensive measures by Rwanda. The assembly was attended by representatives from the US, Qatar, the AU mediator’s consultant, and the AU Commission. During the assembly, the DRC and Rwanda adopted the mechanism’s phrases of reference and mentioned subsequent steps for implementing the settlement.

Despite these developments, tensions seem like rising in jap DRC. In an 11 August statement, the M23 accused the Congolese authorities of adopting an offensive army posture, citing the motion of troops and the deployment of army tools in a number of areas. The group claimed that these actions are escalating tensions and undermining the peace course of. In response, the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) issued a statement on 12 August, accusing the M23 of “belligerent attitudes” and of launching assaults towards FARDC positions in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. While reaffirming its dedication to the Washington and Doha processes, the FARDC acknowledged that it reserves the correct to answer any provocations.

At tomorrow’s assembly, Council members are prone to reiterate their condemnation of the current collection of assaults carried out by armed teams and urge the events to uphold their commitments to the outcomes of the Washington and Doha processes. They might also reaffirm the provisions of decision 2773 of 21 February, which demanded the cessation of additional army advances by the M23 in jap DRC and referred to as for a right away and unconditional ceasefire. (For extra info, see our 21 February What’s In Blue story.) Council members might also be interested by receiving updates on the Doha course of and the prospects for the signing of a complete peace settlement between the DRC and the M23.

Tags: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Insights on Africa