DRC: AU Peace Council and UN in conclave this Friday...

The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), the central body for conflict prevention and resolution on the continent, will hold a crucial meeting this Friday, February 15, in Addis Ababa. The aim is to find a lasting solution to the escalating tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This high-level session, which will bring together heads of state and government, will also see the participation of the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who has been in the Ethiopian capital since Thursday.

The situation in eastern DRC remains extremely concerning, with ongoing fighting between the Congolese army (FARDC) and the Rwandan Defence Forces (RDF). These clashes, particularly intense in the town of Ihusi, about 70 kilometers north of Bukavu (South Kivu), have caused new mass displacement of civilians. According to the UN, many residents have fled to urban areas and islands on Lake Kivu, where the delivery of humanitarian aid is hindered by deteriorating security conditions.

Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, lamented the obstacles faced by humanitarian actors in providing food and assistance to affected populations. “Transport to some areas is blocked by the conflict, making it difficult to deliver essential goods”, he explained. In the face of this crisis, the AU’s PSC is expected to urge the warring parties to respect previous resolutions, particularly those from the joint SADC-EAC summit, which call for a ceasefire, the cessation of hostilities, and the reopening of the Goma airport.

Alongside the PSC meeting, António Guterres will hold talks with AU leaders and heads of state to discuss ways to defuse the crisis. However, mediation efforts are facing obstacles on the ground. M23 forces, supported by Rwanda, have blocked UN peacekeepers’ humanitarian convoys from accessing Goma, thus obstructing the distribution of food and essential supplies. Furthermore, the armed group continues to block demining operations in hazardous areas, endangering the safety of peacekeepers and civilians.

This meeting takes place in a context marked by tragic human losses. The bodies of 18 South African soldiers, two MONUSCO peacekeepers, and 16 members of the SAMIDRC mission were repatriated on Wednesday. A Uruguayan soldier, also killed in these clashes, was brought back to his country on Thursday. These events highlight the urgency of coordinated action to restore peace and allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to the region.