The eastern DR Congo peace process has reached a critical point where diplomatic progress exists, but violence on the ground, worsening hunger, and weak implementation continue to threaten any durable settlement. The United Nations has presented the current moment as one that still offers a viable path to peace, yet only if commitments are translated into action rather than treated as symbolic agreements.
Diplomatic Progress and Fragility
James Swan’s central message to the Security Council was clear:
“It is now imperative that momentum be maintained, and that the commitments agreed to by the signatories be fully implemented,”
James Swan said. That statement reflects the core challenge in eastern Congo, where the Washington agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, the Doha Framework for a Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and African Union mediation now form a diplomatic roadmap, but the road remains incomplete in practical terms. Swan also urged all parties to the Washington and Doha agreements
“to stay the course toward a durable peace,”
showing that the UN sees peace as possible, but highly vulnerable to delay and mistrust.
Security Situation in Eastern Congo
The security environment remains unstable across North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri, with fighting continuing between AFC/M23, supported by Rwandan forces, and the Congolese army, FARDC, alongside the Wazalendo armed group. Swan said FARDC is also backed in some areas by the FDLR, a largely ethnic Hutu armed group founded by former perpetrators of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. He identified Rubaya, the Rutshuru area, and the high plains of South Kivu as major flashpoints, while warning that offensive drones, artillery, and heavy weapons are increasing the risk to civilians and infrastructure.
AFC/M23 has partially withdrawn from some areas, but Swan said it continues building parallel administrative structures in territory it controls. That detail is important because it suggests the conflict is not only military, but also political and administrative, with armed actors trying to entrench authority on the ground while negotiations remain unfinished.
Civilian Harm and Human Rights Violations
Civilian suffering remains one of the most alarming aspects of the crisis.
“The UN also documented 1,221 human rights violations,”
James Swan said, including conflict-related sexual violence by armed groups and members of the defence and security forces. The violations affected 2,968 victims, including 392 women and 378 children, which shows how deeply the conflict continues to damage communities.
Swan also said the Allied Democratic Forces killed 287 civilians in Ituri since the Council last met on the DRC, including 44 women. In Beni territory in North Kivu, renewed ADF attacks left 66 civilians dead, including 17 women and three children. Since 19 March, MONUSCO has documented 632 civilian deaths linked to armed conflict in North Kivu and Ituri, which underscores how violence remains intense even while diplomatic tracks continue.
MONUSCO Support and Ceasefire Monitoring
The United Nations mission has remained active despite major constraints. MONUSCO has intensified patrols, increased mobile operating bases in areas affected by ADF attacks, and supported sites for internally displaced people. Since 19 March, peacekeepers and the Congolese army have carried out more than 2,000 joint patrols, showing that the mission is still trying to create some space for civilian protection and local stabilization.
The mission has also supported local and provincial peace mechanisms in Ituri, where a roadmap for dialogue among armed groups in Aru has moved forward. In Goma, MONUSCO has provided office space, equipment, and furniture for the Doha ceasefire monitoring mechanism and is preparing logistical and security support for monitoring missions. Between March and June, the mission facilitated the repatriation of 156 former Rwandan combatants and 163 dependents linked to FDLR and other foreign armed groups, a modest but meaningful step toward reducing armed actor density in the region.
Hunger and Displacement Pressure
The humanitarian crisis is worsening alongside the insecurity. Nearly 27 million people in the DRC are facing food insecurity, meaning more than a quarter of the population is under pressure from hunger and instability. A separate UN update said more than 26.5 million people are experiencing acute hunger, including nearly 3.6 million at emergency levels and another 22.9 million in crisis. Around 3.59 million people remain internally displaced in eastern DRC, with South Kivu and North Kivu among the hardest-hit provinces.
Food aid is not reaching enough people. Assistance reached only about 1.1 million people in the four worst-affected eastern provinces in January and February, which was just 23 per cent of the target under the 2026 humanitarian plan. That left an estimated 3.8 million people without support, while insecurity, poor roads, and rising food prices continue to deepen the emergency. The hunger crisis is therefore not just a humanitarian issue; it is also a political risk, because prolonged deprivation can weaken public confidence and deepen instability.
Ebola and Funding Constraints
The crisis has become more complicated with the Ebola outbreak declared on 15 May. The outbreak is unfolding in conflict-affected and urban areas where health services are already overstretched, creating a serious risk of further spread. The combination of violence, displacement, and poor access makes public health response far more difficult than in stable environments.
At the same time, MONUSCO is operating under a UN liquidity crisis, which makes the mission’s work harder just as protection and monitoring needs are rising. This creates a layered emergency: armed conflict, hunger, disease, and financial strain are all reinforcing one another. In that setting, even limited gains in the peace process may remain fragile unless the international response remains coordinated and adequately funded.
Peace Process Outlook in Eastern Congo
The central issue is no longer the absence of diplomacy, but the gap between agreements and implementation. The Washington, Doha, and African Union tracks have created a framework that could still support peace, yet the fighting on the ground continues to test the credibility of that framework. The UN’s position is therefore conditional rather than celebratory: peace is still possible, but only if signatories follow through, armed activity declines, and humanitarian needs are treated with equal urgency.
Eastern Congo has become a test of whether negotiated peace can survive in an environment of active war, hunger, and institutional fragility. The UN envoy’s warning is essentially that the process cannot be allowed to stall, because every delay increases the risk that the conflict becomes more entrenched and harder to reverse.
