As the crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo reaches a critical juncture, pressure is mounting on the African Union Peace and Security Council to take decisive action when government leaders attend the 38th Summit of Heads of State and Government meeting on February 14.
A coalition of Congolese, African, and international organizations has urged the Peace and Security Council to take concrete measures to protect civilians, including human rights defenders and journalists, and hold perpetrators of abuses accountable.
The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group’s capture of Goma in North Kivu province in late January has not ended the fighting, as their forces are now advancing into South Kivu. The M23 has forced out tens of thousands of displaced people from camps around Goma. This coupled with the obstruction of humanitarian access, increasing threats against rights defenders, and severe shortages of essential supplies, has worsened a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation. In Ituri province further north, armed groups continue attacks on civilians.
Following an Emergency Ministerial Meeting on January 28, the Peace and Security Council acknowledged the severity of the situation and mandated the African Union Commission to immediately deploy a fact-finding mission to assess the crisis. Civil society groups are now calling for clear timelines and concrete steps to make the mission operational.
Leaders at this week’s meeting should ensure the African Union Commission chairperson provides a detailed briefing on the mission’s implementation. The Peace and Security Council should set a timeline for its deployment, a firm deadline for launching the mission this month, and clarify coordination with African regional mechanisms, particularly the processes led by the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community, to ensure a unified approach around peace and accountability efforts.
The meeting comes on the heels of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s decision to establish a Commission of Inquiry on the conflict. The AU should bolster this effort by holding those responsible for grave violations in the long-running armed conflict to account.
The Peace and Security Council meeting is a critical opportunity for African leaders to demonstrate political will and leadership in support of Congo’s civilian population, who are victims of abuses by all the warring parties. Decisive action is needed now.