Peace Direct is alarmed by the escalation in violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this week. We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians, our partners, colleagues, family, and friends across Goma, the province of North Kivu, and the wider region.
We call on the international community to use all tools at its disposal to advance peace, justice, and accountability in eastern DRC. International institutions and governments must use their influence to support the resumption of diplomacy and peaceful dialogue, ensure humanitarian access, and prioritise protection of civilians and hospitals. There must be coordinated international action to address the root causes of the conflicts alongside local peacebuilders.
Peace Direct has worked with peacebuilding partners in the DRC for nearly twenty years. We are currently supporting local organisations with flexible rapid response grants to access basic supplies and keep themselves and their families safe. Earlier this week, we lost contact with our partners in Goma and share the concerns of colleagues around the world for their friends and families in the region. As the situation unfolds, we are working to help our partners in any and every way we can.
Since its reemergence in 2021, the armed group known as M23 has contributed to widespread displacement across North Kivu with support from the Government of Rwanda. After a 2024 ceasefire collapsed in January, M23 took the towns of Minova and Sake in short succession. This week, they launched an offensive on the city of Goma, capital of North Kivu, over which they appear to have taken control. The conflict is intensifying at a catastrophic rate with over 400,000 people displaced in January alone.
M23 and their allies have cut off all access to Goma, severely limiting humanitarian support in the city and wider province. Electricity and water have been cut for close to a week, inhabitants told to take shelter in their homes, and hospitals and medical personnel are under attack. Reports state that at least 100 people have been killed and over 1,000 injured so far. Ongoing regional peace negotiations led by Angola and Kenya seem to have stalled.
International and regional actors, including the UN Secretary General and governments of the EU, UK, and US, are calling on Rwanda to withdraw its support for M23, and the Rwandan Defence Force to withdraw from Congolese territory.
While these calls are important, diplomatic efforts by the international community so far have failed to meaningfully contribute to conflict prevention and peace in eastern DRC. Foreign policies to address the drivers of conflict have been inconsistent, with warning signs ignored and a lack of meaningful action.
Our partners know that humanitarian assistance alone will not be enough to bring peace to the region. They want to see an end to the conflict, resumption of diplomatic engagement, justice for victims and accountability for the perpetrators.
They are also calling for the immediate protection of civilians, youth, women and marginalised people from sexual and gender-based violence, and the establishment of immediate humanitarian corridors to enable food, water, and essential supplies.
The international community must take immediate steps to support local communities in North Kivu and beyond. As tensions reach a decades-long high, many are concerned about potential further escalation if there is not a meaningful return to the negotiating table.
