African members of UN security organ call for tripod approach to ending DRC conflict
JOHANNESBURG - The Africa 3, or A3, members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) - Kenya, Gabon and Ghana - have called for an urgent meeting to address the recent uptick in armed conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
On October 20, an armed conflict was reported in Rutshuru, a town in northern Kivu province. Ten people died and dozens were injured as government forces battled M23 rebels.
On behalf of the three countries, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kenya to the United Nations, Martin Kimani, highlighted three areas that require urgent action to address the root causes of the conflict.
These are:
• the continuous threat of armed groups;
• reinforcing confidence-building among the region’s leaders; and
• the illegal exploitation of natural resources.
Besides the M23, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) operates between the DRC and Uganda with Islamist extremist links.
The Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), drawn from Rwandan Hutu rebels, is also prominent in the region.
Then there is the Cooperative for Development of the Congo (Codeco), a loose association of various militia groups, and Red Tabara, with links to Burundi.
“These groups are perpetrating mass atrocities and grave human rights violations. We note with concern that some of these groups, particularly the ADF, have links to terrorist networks, including ISIS.
“The threat they pose to regional peace and security calls for a robust regional response,” Kimani said.
There are two blueprints aimed at ending the insurgencies - the Action Plan for the 2021-2023 UN Strategy for Peace, Consolidation, Conflict Prevention, and Conflict Resolution in the Great Lakes, as well as the Peace, Security, and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the region.
But authorities have been slow to use the instruments, partly due to a lack of resources to fund the East African Community (EAC) peace fund.
Former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta will facilitate the third Inter-Congolese Dialogue to end the conflict in the DRC.
The talks are to be held in Nairobi from November 4 to 13 under the EAC.