DR Congo crisis: ‘The violence must end now’, UN Security Council told
28 January 2025
The UN Security Council has called for an immediate end to the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where fighting between government forces and armed groups has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and caused a severe humanitarian crisis.
The Council issued a statement on Friday, condemning the “widespread human rights abuses” that have been reported in the DRC, including killings, sexual violence, and torture. It also expressed concern about the “alarming” levels of malnutrition and disease in the country.
“The violence must end now,” said the Council in its statement. “The Council calls on all parties to the conflict to lay down their arms and engage in a meaningful dialogue to resolve their differences peacefully.”
The Council also called on the international community to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the people of the DRC. It said that the UN would continue to work with the Congolese government and other partners to address the crisis.
The DRC has been plagued by conflict for decades, but the situation has worsened in recent years due to the rise of armed groups in the east of the country. The violence has forced millions of people to flee their homes, and has created a severe humanitarian crisis.
The UN estimates that around 2.5 million people are internally displaced in the DRC, and that over 7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. The country is also facing a severe food crisis, with over 13 million people facing food insecurity.
The international community has been providing humanitarian assistance to the DRC, but more is needed. The UN is appealing for $1.7 billion to fund its humanitarian response in the country for 2023.
The UN Security Council has also authorized the deployment of a peacekeeping force to the DRC. The force, known as MONUSCO, has been in the country since 1999, and currently has around 16,000 troops and police officers on the ground.
MONUSCO has been criticized for its failure to protect civilians from violence, and for its own involvement in human rights abuses. However, the UN Security Council has extended the force’s mandate until March 2025, and has called on it to do more to protect civilians.
The DRC crisis is a complex one, with no easy solutions. However, the international community must continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of the country, and to work towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
DR Congo crisis: ‘The violence must end now’, UN Security Council told
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