Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bintou Keita addresses the UN Security Council. Archive photo. Emergency UN Security Council meeting: crisis escalates in eastern DRC Peace and Security
The UN Security Council met for an emergency meeting on Sunday morning to discuss the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian and military situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Senior UN officials spoke at the meeting, describing the horrific picture of the crisis and its devastating impact on civilians, and calling for international action.
A Humanitarian Catastrophe Unfolds
UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Joyce Msuya, speaking on behalf of Deputy Secretary-General Thomas Fletcher, warned that events in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo were on a dangerous trajectory. More than 21 million people across the country require urgent assistance, nearly a million have already fled to neighbouring countries, and hundreds have been killed and injured.
“The situation in North and South Kivu is deteriorating at an alarming rate,” Msuya said. According to her, hospitals in Goma, Sake and Minova are struggling to cope with the influx of wounded, including many victims of shelling and explosions. Msuya also highlighted the plight of women and girls, with gender-based violence having tripled in recent years.
She warned Security Council members that if the current escalation of violence spreads to the densely populated city of Goma, the consequences for civilians there would be “devastating.”
Msuya asked the Council to ensure respect for international humanitarian law and to allow humanitarian workers unimpeded access to those in need. “This is not just a crisis,” she concluded, “it is a catastrophe unfolding before our eyes.”
Peacekeepers under attack
Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix noted the extraordinary risks faced by UN peacekeepers on the ground. He said the M23 armed group, backed by Rwandan forces, had launched a major offensive in North and South Kivu, closing in on Goma. The conflict has already claimed the lives of three UN peacekeepers and injured 11 others.
“The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is implementing its mandate to protect civilians and stabilize the region, but at a huge cost,” Lacroix said. He praised the Mission’s resilience, which has reinforced its positions around Goma in cooperation with Congolese and regional forces. Despite these efforts, the situation remains extremely tense, particularly with attacks on UN personnel and GPS jamming.
Lacroix stressed the need for a unified international response, calling on the Council to send a “clear and unambiguous message” to the M23 and its supporters. “Violations of the sovereignty of the DRC and attacks on peacekeepers are unacceptable,” he said.
The situation around Goma
The Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Bintou Keita, told the Council that M23 forces, backed by reinforcements, had entered the outskirts of Goma, blocking roads and effectively closing the city’s airport. This had caused widespread panic and the displacement of tens of thousands of people, further complicating humanitarian operations. The United Nations, she said, had been forced to temporarily redeploy some staff from Goma, a process that was ongoing, she added.
“Despite the best efforts of UN peacekeepers, we are seeing a city on the brink of collapse,” Keita warned. She announced the launch of an operation that deployed a rapid reaction force to contain the advance. However, she stressed that military action alone would not resolve the crisis.
Keita also noted an alarming increase in hate speech against UN staff and human rights defenders. “This rhetoric sows discord and undermines efforts to establish peace,” she said, calling on regional and global forces to condemn such actions.
Urgent Appeals and Next Steps
All speakers stressed the importance of immediate international action, calling for increased funding to ensure urgent humanitarian assistance, as well as support for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of M23 forces from occupied territories, and the resumption of negotiations between the DRC and Rwanda within the framework of the Luanda process.