The United Nations (UN) says ongoing fighting in the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, DR Congo) has forced about 50,000 men, women and children to flee their homes since hostilities resumed on October 20. The estimate includes some 12,000 people who have sought safety in neighboring Uganda. Over the weekend, violent clashes between the Congolese armed forces and the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23) militia in North Kivu province has led to additional internal displacement towards the UN peacekeeping base in Kiwanja, an UN spokesperson said Monday.
Peacekeepers of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) continue to provide logistical and medical support to the Congolese armed forces, and also maintain a robust posture to protect civilians. Four UN peacekeepers were injured last week near Kiwanja during fighting between the M23 and Congolese forces. The UN spokesperson said the wounded peacekeepers are now in stable condition and were evacuated to Goma.
In a related development, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a statement Sunday to express his deep concern at the resumption of hostilities in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. He called for immediate de-escalation and reiterated the full support of the United Nations for the ongoing mediation by the President of Angola, João Lourenço, and for the Nairobi process under the facilitation of former President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta.
The Secretary-General urged M23 and other armed groups to immediately cease hostilities and to disarm unconditionally. Mr. Guterres called on all parties to facilitate humanitarian access to the affected population, and to ensure protection of civilians and respect for international humanitarian law. He also urged all actors in the conflict to refrain from hate speech and incitement to violence.
The move comes as the African Union (AU) on Sunday also expressed its “extreme concern” at the deteriorating security situation in Eastern provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In a joint statement the Chair of the AU, Macky Sall, and the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, called on all the warring parties in the DRC to establish an immediate ceasefire, respect international law, the safety and security of civilians and the stability at the borders of all countries in the region.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is facing one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world, and the situation in the country is one of the most neglected displacement crises globally. For decades, the country has endured multiple, overlapping emergencies driven mainly by conflict and forced displacement. With 6.6 million forcibly displaced people, the DR Congo has more displacement than any other country in Africa. Some 5.6 million people are internally displaced within the country, mainly in the eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri, while 1 million refugees and asylum seekers from DRC are hosted in neighboring countries.
The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) has operated in the regions since 1999 and is the largest UN peacekeeping mission in the world. The mission has been authorized to use all necessary means to carry out its mandate to protect civilians, humanitarian personnel and human rights defenders under imminent threat of physical violence and to support the Government of the DRC in its stabilization and peace consolidation efforts.
Further information
Full text: Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, 31 October 2022
https://press.un.org/en/2022/db221031.doc.htm
Full text: Secretary-General Concerned by Resumed Hostilities in Democratic Republic of Congo, 30 October 2022
https://press.un.org/en/2022/sgsm21560.doc.htm
Full text: Joint Communiqué of the Chair of the African Union and the Chairperson of the AU Commission on the situation in the East of DRC, 30 October 2022
https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20221030/joint-communique-situation-east-drc
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