The Democratic Republic of the Congo/Zaire (DRC) has been seen by many as the definition of a collapsed state, torn by conflicts on regional, national, and local levels. DRC won its independence from Belgium on June 30, 1960, after 90 years of colonization, but has since suffered a high level of violence and continuing human rights violations. Rebel factions have been fighting the government, fighting each other, attacking civilians, and being subjected to infighting. The vast country is rich in natural resources, which has prolonged the conflicts. Following the 1994 Rwandan genocide, DR Congo was further destabilized and after a 1997 coup, led by the AFDL (Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo), and supported by Rwanda and Uganda, DRC was involved in what is known as Africa’s first World War. After years of negotiations, the parties concluded a final peace agreement in 2003, creating a transitional government and a path toward democratic elections and a new constitution. In 2006 the first democratic elections in more than 40 years were held, but violence continued. Protests and conflicts occurred from 2011-2016 in response to political corruption and inadequate democratic elections. After significant delays, a peaceful transition in power occurred in 2018 with the inauguration of Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo to replace Joseph Kabila, who had been President for 18 years.
In recent years, the conflict between the government and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) reached a war level, with major strikes being executed. The DRC’s armed forces (FARDC) are working alongside the Ugandan government and are supported by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) to combat these rebels. Since 2017, it has been reported that the ADF has killed at least 2,200 people and abducted 900 people.
The government’s limited wars with Kata Katanga (stemming from 2011), Ituri militia group FRPI (from 1999), and the Mayi-Mayi militias (from 2003), continued last year as well. Inter-militia violence was also high in intensity, remaining at a limited war level as over 40 active militias repeatedly clashed with each other.
M23, an armed group that began as a rebellion in 2012-2013, was defeated by FARDC and MONUSCO and was able to agree upon a ceasefire. Yet in recent years and especially in 2021, its forces have reemerged with new weapons and capabilities. This instigated tensions between the DRC and Rwanda, as both Uganda and the DRC claim Rwanda has supported M23 in order to destabilize their countries. M23 poses a serious threat to FARDC and MONUSCO’s capabilities to combat the high level of violence faced in the country. As a result of the conflict in the DRC, over 4.5 million people have been displaced. In 2023, M23 took over major roads leading to the city of Goma, and continues to be a threat in the region.
Peace attempts:
Despite many conflicts intensifying in the last year, DR Congo has seen several conflicts de-escalate, with one major conflict effectively ending. With the government supported by MONUSCO, the war involving the former rebel group M23, which began in 2004, dramatically de-escalated into a non-violent crisis, following a peace agreement in 2013 and the Nairobi Agreement in 2014. The relative success of the MONUSCO mission saw the Security Council pass a resolution in March 2015, renewing the mandate for another 12 months and endorsing recommendations made in the Secretary-General’s report, but reducing troops by 2,000.
MONUSCO has faced criticism for its ineffective ability to protect citizens from the ADF. Anti-MONUSCO protests occurred across the eastern region of the DRC in 2022. As MONSUCO only has the mandate to protect Congolese forces, the joint efforts from FARDC and Uganda pose a challenge.
In February 2020, the FRPI and the Congolese government finally signed a peace agreement to restore stabilization in Eastern DRC. Violence initiated by the FRPI has ensued for nearly two decades, including violence against civilians and especially women. The UN Mission in the DRC pledged to support the agreement’s efforts to dismantle the FRPI and implement a disarmament and reintegration process for the former armed groups.
In April 2022, the first round of peace talks occurred which included about 30 delegations and involved actors in the conflict. The ADF and M23 were absent from these talks. Much of the Congolese public is not optimistic that these talks will achieve peace or even a ceasefire, especially due to the lack of involvement from key armed groups. Following continued violence in 2023, the US helped to broker a brief ceasefire, through engagement with the Congolese and Rwandan governments.
