Implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region – Report of the Secretary-General (S/2024/278) [EN/AR/RU/ZH] – Democratic Republic of the Congo

I. Introduction

1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 2717 (2023), in which the Council requested the Secretary-General to report every six months on the implementation of the commitments under the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region and its linkages with the broader security situation in the region. It provides an overview of peace and security developments since the previous report (S/2023/730), covering the period from 16 September 2023 to 15 March 2024.

II. Major developments

A. Security situation

2. The security situation in the Great Lakes region remained of grave concern, with several cross-border incidents and deteriorating security and humanitarian conditions in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

3. On 6 October, in a communiqué, the Embassy of Uganda in the Democratic Republic of the Congo rejected allegations that the Ugandan military, stationed in Bunangana, North Kivu Province, had moved border markers along the common border. The communiqué was released in the wake of media reports on the matter and shortly after the Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Uganda in Kinshasa was summoned by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Christophe Lutundula. On 23 October, the Government of Rwanda stated in a communiqué that a Rwandan civilian had been injured in Rubavu District by a stray bullet, allegedly from the fighting between armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, close to the Rwandan border.
On 16 January, the Rwanda Defence Force declared in a statement that three armed soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) had crossed into Rubavu District on the same day. According to the statement, two FARDC soldiers were arrested, while the third was shot and killed after firing at the patrols. FARDC confirmed the incident, noting that the soldiers had entered Rwanda “by mistake”. FARDC requested the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) to investigate and facilitate the repatriation of its soldiers. On 17 February, the Goma International Airport in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was hit, reportedly in a drone strike, which damaged a civilian aircraft. In a video statement by an FARDC spokesperson, FARDC accused Rwanda of the attack. In a communiqué on 18 February, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda declared that Rwanda had adjusted its posture with a view to ensuring the complete air defence of Rwandan territory and degrading offensive air capabilities.

4. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the ceasefire between the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23) and FARDC, established in April 2023, collapsed in late September as fighting resumed in North Kivu Province between M23, local armed groups known as Wazalendo, and FARDC. On 9 October, the facilitator of the East African Community (EAC)-led Nairobi process and former President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, condemned the escalation of hostilities in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. On 24 October, a Kenyan soldier of the EAC Regional Force died during clashes near Goma. In a communiqué issued on 25 October, the Regional Force called for a return to the ceasefire.

5. Fighting intensified in North Kivu Province between December and March, despite a lull in hostilities between 11 and 28 December during a ceasefire brokered by the United States of America. M23 continued to expand its area of activities and regained control of areas after the withdrawal of the EAC Regional Force in early January. On 16 January, air strikes by Congolese armed forces on M23 positions resulted in the death of M23 elements, including the M23 Chief of Intelligence, Castro Mberabagabo. Meanwhile, M23 continued to reinforce its positions in Rutshuru and Masisi territories.

6. Meanwhile, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) continued to target Congolese civilians and armed forces in Ituri and North Kivu Provinces while stepping up attacks in Uganda following the establishment of an ADF base in Kibale National Park, western Uganda. Between 1 October and 13 February, ADF reportedly carried out 84 attacks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and 7 attacks in Uganda, notwithstanding the increased pressure from sustained joint operations by Ugandan and Congolese armed forces. In total, 348 persons, including 68 women and 32 children, were killed during attacks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

7. Several ADF commanders were also reportedly killed in clashes with Ugandan military forces, including Meddie Nkalubo, who was killed by the Ugandan air force in Mambasa territory, Ituri Province, on 18 September, and Musa Kamusi, who died on 27 December in Kibale National Park. On 31 October, clashes between ADF and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces on Lake Albert reportedly resulted in 11 ADF fatalities and the capture of ADF commander Abdul Rashid Kyoto. Following ADF attacks in the Rwenzori subregion in Uganda, intensified aerial and artillery attacks against ADF positions were conducted throughout November. On 19 December, the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, announced his decision to reactivate local defence structures, with the stated objective of protecting communities against ADF.

8. The Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) also remained active in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with several reported clashes with other armed groups and abductions of civilians. The armed group was reportedly responsible for 12 attacks, resulting in the death of two civilians, including one woman.

9. After a lull beginning in 2021, the Résistance pour un État de droit au Burundi (RED Tabara) launched several attacks in Burundi in December and February, before retreating to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On 10 December, RED Tabara clashed with the Burundi National Defence Force in Gihanga, Bubanza Province, allegedly killing three of its soldiers. On 23 December, RED Tabara announced that it had killed nine Burundian soldiers and one policeman during an attack on the Vugizo border post in Bujumbura Province. On the same day, the Burundian presidency announced in a statement that a terrorist attack had resulted in 20 casualties, including 12 children, 3 women and 5 men, 1 of whom was a policeman. RED Tabara denied having targeted civilians during the Vugizo attack. On 19 January, Burundian police and military reportedly reinforced their presence in the Kibira forest, Cibitoke Province, near the border with Rwanda. On 25 February, RED Tabara launched two attacks on Burundian military positions in Bubanza Province, near the Congolese border, which resulted in at least six fatalities and property damage.

10. Regarding regional security efforts, the EAC Regional Force completed its withdrawal from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in January. The withdrawal was in line with the decisions of the twenty-third Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State of 24 November, during which EAC Heads of State took note of the decision by the Democratic Republic of the Congo not to extend the mandate of the Regional Force beyond 8 December. Meanwhile, Burundian and Ugandan troops, deployed under bilateral military cooperation agreements, remained in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

11. On 4 January, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) announced that the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo had begun its deployment on 15 December, in line with the decision of the Extraordinary Summit of the SADC Organ Troika of 8 May 2023. Comprising troops from Malawi, South Africa and the United Republic of Tanzania, the Mission is mandated by SADC to support the Democratic Republic of the Congo in its efforts to neutralize negative forces and armed groups in the eastern part of the country, restore and maintain peace and security, and establish a secure environment, as stipulated in its mandate. On 14 February, two South African soldiers deployed with the Mission were killed by mortar fire.