Despite recent peace agreements signed in Doha and Washington, attacks on civilians in eastern DR Congo are intensifying, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights warns.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed deep concern on Wednesday, over the sharp uptick in violence against civilians in eastern DR Congo.
The worsening security situation comes paradoxically in the wake of major peace accords, notably those signed in Doha and Washington.
UN figures paint a grim picture of the violence: between July 9 and 21, at least 319 civilians were killed in four villages in the Rutshuru territory, targeted in deliberate assaults by the M23 rebel movement. Among the victims were 48 women and 19 children, most of them farmers, executed during coordinated attacks.
The violence is not limited to M23. Other armed groups are also wreaking havoc in the region. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and the Cooperative for the Development of Congo (CODECO) have carried out massacres, including the killings of at least 70 people in Pikamaibo and 40 worshippers in a church in Komanda. Reports also cite mass rapes, deepening the already dire humanitarian crisis.
Diplomatic efforts tested on the ground
In response to the deteriorating situation, Türk directly called on all parties involved in the conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and to protect civilians. He urged signatories of the Doha and Washington peace deals to turn their commitments into tangible action, in order to break the entrenched cycle of violence in the region.
This appeal comes just days after the first session of the Joint Monitoring Committee, held in Washington on July 31. The committee’s launch marks the official implementation of a landmark peace agreement signed on June 27, 2025, between the DRC and Rwanda under U.S. mediation.
Disclosed by the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa, the agreement establishes a legally binding framework addressing the political, security, humanitarian, and economic dimensions of the conflict. Its backbone is the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for neutralising the FDLR and withdrawing Rwandan forces—an initiative born of the AU–Angola process launched in Luanda in October 2024.
The agreement is overseen by a Multilateral Monitoring Committee composed of the DRC, Rwanda, the United States, Qatar, Togo (representing the African Union), and the AU Commission. The committee is tasked with supervising implementation, managing disputes, and enforcing penalties in case of violations.
One of the agreement’s key innovations is the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM), an operational body bringing together military, intelligence, and diplomatic representatives from both countries, under U.S. and Qatari observation. The JSCM will lead the implementation of CONOPS, coordinate FDLR neutralisation, and oversee the withdrawal of Rwandan troops, with monthly reports published to ensure transparency.
Economic integration and long-term goals
The agreement also includes a strong economic component, with the launch on August 1 of the Regional Economic Integration Framework. This initiative promotes cooperation in key sectors: energy, infrastructure, public health, shared management of Lake Kivu, traceable mineral supply chains, and cross-border tourism in national parks. Independent audits and mechanisms to prevent illicit activities aim to uphold the integrity of the initiative.
The agreement enshrines core principles: mutual respect for sovereignty, non-support for non-state armed groups, and peaceful resolution of disputes. It aligns with ongoing Doha talks between Kinshasa and M23, under Qatari mediation, and sets strict conditions for the reintegration of ex-combatants.
On the humanitarian front, both countries have pledged to ensure the safe and voluntary return of refugees, guarantee humanitarian access, and uphold civilian protection in line with the 2010 Kigali Tripartite Agreements with the UNHCR.
The accord also reaffirms cooperation with MONUSCO and compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2765 (2024), which regulates UN personnel movement and security.
Effective immediately and of indefinite duration, the agreement may be amended by mutual consent or terminated with 60 days’ notice. According to U.S. authorities, these developments are paving the way for a future Summit of Heads of State aimed at consolidating peace and development in the Great Lakes region.
Still, as Commissioner Türk emphasised, local communities continue to live in a state of “deep uncertainty” amid the absence of meaningful progress on the ground.
The true measure of these diplomatic mechanisms, he stressed, will lie in their ability to effectively protect civilians and foster lasting peace in a region scarred by more than three decades of conflict.
ZMH/sf/ac/lb/as/APA