Summary:
The Council urges both the DRC and Rwanda to resume diplomatic talks in line with the Luanda and Nairobi processes, which serve as frameworks for negotiations and conflict resolution.
NEWS: The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Friday, February 21, condemning Rwanda for supporting the M23 offensive in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and demanding the “immediate” withdrawal of its troops.
   The resolution also calls on M23 to cease hostilities and on Rwanda to end its support for the rebel group. The Council strongly condemns M23’s takeover of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, and its international airport on January 28, as well as its capture of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, on February 14.
The Council mandates M23 to immediately halt hostilities, withdraw from all occupied territories, and dismantle the “illegitimate parallel” administrations it has established in the DRC. It also welcomes regional efforts by the African Union (AU), the East African Community (EAC), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to implement an immediate ceasefire.
The resolution expresses the Council’s willingness to consider a role for the United Nations peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, in monitoring and implementing any future agreement. Additionally, it calls on the Rwandan Defence Forces to cease supporting M23 and withdraw from the DRC without preconditions.
The Council urges both the DRC and Rwanda to resume diplomatic talks in line with the Luanda and Nairobi processes, which serve as frameworks for negotiations and conflict resolution. It also condemns the DRC army’s support for the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and calls for the group’s neutralization.
Furthermore, the Council warns of potential further actions against those fueling the conflict in eastern DRC. It condemns the systematic illicit exploitation and trafficking of natural resources in the region and calls for stricter regulations on mineral exports, urging mining companies to implement the Regional Certification Mechanism of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region.
The resolution emphasizes the urgent need to open temporary humanitarian corridors in North and South Kivu, including through Goma and Kavumu airports and border crossing points. It also reaffirms that any attempt to hinder MONUSCO’s mandate, particularly regarding its freedom of movement in Goma, will not be tolerated.
Finally, the Council demands that all warring parties cease hostilities against peacekeepers.
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