UN official says ‘window of opportunity’ for peace in DR Congo

The envoy lauds the progress in diplomatic efforts despite the worsening security and humanitarian situation.

Armed security personnel keep watch during a collective memorial service organised by the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) and the M23 armed group in Masisi, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on January 8, 2026 [Moise Kasereka/EPA]

A senior United Nations official has told the Security Council there is a “window of opportunity” for peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, a mineral-rich region plagued by decades of conflict.

Huang Xia, the UN special envoy for the impacted Great Lakes Region, on Tuesday said that both US- and Qatar-led peace processes have achieved “notable progress”.

list 1 of 3 Plane carrying DR Congo military delegation crashes

list 2 of 3 Mourners bury DR Congo official killed after defending Ebola response

list 3 of 3 Funeral held for DR Congo politician killed after defending Ebola response

However, “despite this sustained diplomatic effort, the security and humanitarian situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has continued to worsen”, he added.

Several parties, including the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group and the Congolese army, have clashed in the territory, prompting a series of international diplomatic efforts.

Huang stressed the “urgency of seizing the window of opportunity, which is currently offered by the increased alignment of peace efforts”.

“Such a window does not remain open indefinitely,” he said.

“I therefore urge all parties to translate commitments into verifiable actions, and to place their trust in confidence built through deeds rather than through declarations.”

The Congolese government and the M23 signed a commitment towards a ceasefire in Doha in July 2025. The DRC and Rwanda also formalised a US-brokered peace deal in December in Washington, DC.

However, fighting has continued on the ground.

New talks were held in August in Switzerland, involving representatives from the United States, Qatar and the African Union.

Huang said the UN would facilitate a meeting on October 18 in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, between the defence ministers of Burundi, the DRC, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania.

尽管安全和人道主义局势日益恶化，但这位特使仍对外交努力取得的进展表示赞赏。

2026年1月8日，在刚果民主共和国北基伍省马西西，武装保安人员在由刚果河联盟（AFC）和M23武装团体组织的集体追悼会上警戒。[Moise Kasereka/EPA]

一位联合国高级官员告诉安理会，刚果民主共和国东部地区迎来了和平的“机会之窗”。该地区矿产资源丰富，但几十年来饱受冲突之苦。

联合国大湖区问题特使黄霞周二表示，美国和卡塔尔主导的和平进程均取得了“显著进展”。

列表 1/3 载有刚果民主共和国军事代表团的飞机坠毁

列表 2/3：哀悼者埋葬因捍卫埃博拉应对措施而遇害的刚果民主共和国官员

列表 3/3：刚果民主共和国政治家因捍卫埃博拉应对措施而遇害，葬礼举行。

但他补充说，“尽管进行了持续的外交努力，刚果民主共和国东部的安全和人道主义局势仍在持续恶化”。

包括卢旺达支持的 M23 武装组织和刚果军队在内的多个方面在该地区发生冲突，引发了一系列国际外交努力。

黄强调“必须抓住当前和平努力日益协调所带来的机遇之窗”。

“这样的机会之窗不会无限期地敞开着，”他说。

“因此，我敦促各方将承诺转化为可核查的行动，并将信任建立在行动而非宣言之上。”

刚果政府和M23于2025年7月在多哈签署了停火承诺。同年12月，刚果民主共和国和卢旺达也在华盛顿特区正式签署了由美国斡旋的和平协议。

然而，地面战斗仍在继续。

8 月，美国、卡塔尔和非洲联盟的代表在瑞士举行了新一轮会谈。

黄表示，联合国将促成布隆迪、刚果民主共和国、乌干达、卢旺达和坦桑尼亚的国防部长于10月18日在赞比亚首都卢萨卡举行会议。