Eastern DR Congo: UN envoy tells Security Council the situation “has continued to worsen” despite Washington and Doha tracks

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, Huang Xia, told the Security Council on 13 October that “the security and humanitarian situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has continued to worsen”, even as two separate peace tracks make progress on paper. Council members used the meeting to press for better coordination between those tracks, according to the UN’s meeting coverage.

Huang Xia was presenting his biannual report (S/2026/782) on the 2013 Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the region. The two main diplomatic tracks are the Washington peace agreement signed by the DRC and Rwanda on 27 June 2025, and the Doha process, facilitated by Qatar, between the Congolese government and the AFC/M23 armed movement.

What the envoy said

The envoy welcomed what he called “encouraging” progress under both processes, including a protocol and road map signed by the Congolese authorities and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). He said, however, that a genuine ceasefire remains hard to achieve, that hostilities continue in several areas, and that armed drones are adding to civilian suffering. He also warned of the spread of Ebola and of distrust between states in the region, naming tensions between Kigali and Kinshasa and between Kinshasa and Burundi, and called for a stronger African Union role.

Positions of Council members and the parties

The United States called the Washington Accords “a historic opportunity” and urged Kinshasa and Kigali to meet their obligations promptly. Its representative asked the parties to observe the ceasefire and stop drone strikes, and pointed to recent ceasefire-verification missions in Minembwe and Masisi as proof that impartial monitoring can help settle disputes. He said that “any current cooperation between the FDLR and elements of the Congolese armed forces must cease immediately.”

France said illicit exploitation of natural resources continues to fund armed groups, recalled sanctions imposed in July, and said the Council should “stand ready to adopt measures against actors hindering peace.” Bahrain warned of “a troubling gap” between diplomatic progress and conditions on the ground.

The DRC delegation, which also spoke for Liberia and Somalia, asked for enough resources for the UN mission MONUSCO to support the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus. Speaking nationally, it said the withdrawal of foreign forces is “non-negotiable”, that Rwanda must fulfil its responsibilities, and that proven violations should bring appropriate sanctions. It concluded: “The Great Lakes Region does not need promises. It needs promises to be made good on.” The claims about foreign forces and Rwandan responsibilities are the Congolese government’s position as stated at the Council; the UN summary does not record a reply from Rwanda.

Burundi argued that “the security of one State cannot be sustainably ensured at the expense of that of its neighbours” and voiced concern about armed groups in eastern DRC, notably RED-Tabara in South Kivu.

Background

The meeting was a briefing and debate, and the UN summary records no new resolution. Speakers referred back to Security Council resolution 2773 (2025), adopted unanimously, which called for a ceasefire.

Source: UN Security Council meeting coverage SC/16475, published on press.un.org.