UN Security Council urges coordinated mediation on eastern DRC as ceasefire remains elusive

The UN Security Council heard on 13 October that diplomacy on eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is advancing on several tracks, but that conditions for civilians have kept worsening. Speakers at the meeting, summarised in the UN’s official meetings coverage, called for better coordination between the parallel mediation efforts and for results that people on the ground can feel.

Two mediation tracks

Two processes are running side by side. The first is the Washington agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, signed on 27 June 2025. The second is the Doha process, facilitated by Qatar, between the Congolese government and AFC/M23.

Huang Xia, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Great Lakes, presented his twice-yearly report on the 2013 Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework (S/2026/782). He called progress in Doha and Washington “encouraging”, citing a protocol and road map signed by Congolese authorities and the FDLR. He said, however, that a genuine ceasefire remains elusive despite the Council’s unanimous calls, including in resolution 2773 (2025).

Huang also reported continuing hostilities, with armed drones worsening civilian suffering, and warned that an Ebola outbreak could spread unchecked. He pointed to distrust between Kigali and Kinshasa and between Kinshasa and Burundi, urged a stronger role for the African Union and described the Regional Certification Mechanism of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region as the region’s “flagship tool” against illegal resource exploitation.

What Council members said

The United States called the Washington Accords “a historic opportunity” and urged Kinshasa and Kigali to meet their obligations, uphold the ceasefire and halt drone strikes. It held up ceasefire-verification missions in Minembwe and Masisi as a model and said FDLR cooperation with elements of the Congolese armed forces “must cease immediately”.

France said illicit resource exploitation finances 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 diplomacy and conditions on the ground, citing attacks by the ADF.

Speaking also for Liberia and Somalia, the DRC called for adequate resources for the UN mission MONUSCO to support the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus. In its national statement it described the withdrawal of foreign forces as non-negotiable and urged Rwanda to meet its commitments. Burundi stressed regional collective security, voiced concern about armed groups including RED-Tabara in South Kivu and cited a June agreement with Kinshasa on bilateral military cooperation.

Context

The meeting came a day after the Council discussed Syria, covered in Security Council on Syria: Greece asks for protection of all communities and Orthodox Christians; 5.5 million remain displaced.

The statements above are positions taken by the parties and Council members. The UN summary does not report a new Council decision at this meeting. The full account is on the UN press site.