The United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The resolution comes amid escalating violence, with Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seizing two key cities in eastern Congo in under a month. The region, rich in minerals, has been at the center of a long-standing conflict between Congolese forces and the rebel group.
“There is no military solution to the conflict. The M23 offensive, supported by Rwanda, must end. The priority now is to reach an effective, unconditional, and immediate ceasefire agreement,” said Nicolas de Rivière, France’s Representative to the United Nations.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame, however, accused Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi of neglecting the concerns of Congo’s ethnic Tutsis and failing to uphold previous peace agreements.
Zénon Mukongo Ngay, the DRC’s Representative to the UN, welcomed the resolution. “While it took time for the Council to reach a consensus, its resilience is evident. On behalf of the government and all Congolese citizens, especially those from Bunagana to Bukavu, I sincerely thank all members of the Council.”
According to UN experts, the rebels are backed by approximately 4,000 Rwandan troops. At times, they have even threatened to advance towards the capital, Kinshasa, over 1,000 miles away.
