<\/p>\n
UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) Head James Swan, making his first briefing to the UN Security Council since taking office in March, said recent diplomatic initiatives have created a framework for resolving the crisis.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
These include agreements signed in Washington and Doha, alongside African Union-led mediation efforts. \u201cIt is now imperative that momentum be maintained,\u201d Swan said, urging all parties to fully implement their commitments.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Despite these agreements, Swan warned that the security situation in eastern DRC remains volatile. Heavy fighting continues in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Clashes are ongoing between the AFC\/M23 rebel group, supported by Rwandan forces, and the Congolese army, which is backed by local militia groups. Some areas have seen partial withdrawals, but armed groups continue to consolidate control, including establishing parallel administrations.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The use of heavy weapons, artillery and drones has intensified risks to civilians and infrastructure.<\/p>\n
The humanitarian impact remains severe. Since March, the UN has documented hundreds of civilian deaths and over 1 200 human rights violations, including sexual violence. Nearly 3 000 victims, including women and children, have been affected. The Allied Democratic Forces remain a major threat, responsible for hundreds of civilian killings in recent months.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In response, MONUSCO has increased patrols and expanded its presence in affected areas, conducting more than 2 000 joint operations with Congolese forces.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Swan said the broader humanitarian situation is worsening, with nearly 27 million people facing food insecurity. Funding for relief efforts remains limited, with the current response plan only partially financed.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The situation is further complicated by an ongoing Ebola outbreak in conflict-affected areas, placing additional strain on already overstretched health systems.<\/p>\n
Swan called for the rapid deployment of ceasefire monitoring mechanisms and continued support for disarmament and reintegration efforts. He emphasised that progress toward a lasting solution depends on sustained commitment from all parties. \u201cStay the course toward a durable peace,\u201d Swan said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
–UN\/ChannelAfrica–<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":38178,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"news-type":[78,26],"class_list":["post-38176","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-featured","news-type-general_news","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"The United Nations\u2019 (UN) new envoy to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has called for urgent progress in implementing peace agreements aimed at ending the long-running conflict in the country\u2019s east.","published_date":"","news_description":"The United Nations\u2019 (UN) new envoy to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has called for urgent progress in implementing peace agreements aimed at ending the long-running conflict in the country\u2019s east.","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/38176","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/38176\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38179,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/38176\/revisions\/38179"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38178"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38176"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=38176"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}