Mediation in the conflict between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda was at the center of discussions at the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, April 16.
Téte António, Chairperson of the African Union Executive Council and representative of Angola, addressed the Council via videoconference, while UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, Huang Xia, returned from a regional mission and presented his latest report, highlighting recent political and diplomatic progress.
Although his mission was not directly focused on ceasefire talks, Huang Xia expressed concern over the stalled efforts to reach a truce and the rapidly worsening humanitarian situation. He also lamented the lack of response to calls from the Security Council, African regional organizations, and the European Union.
His main goal, he emphasized, is to consolidate recent political and diplomatic gains and turn them into irreversible momentum toward peace. He praised Angolan President João Lourenço’s role in the Luanda Process, stressing the importance of preserving the progress made.
“I am referring in particular to the agreement on the Concept of Operations (Conops) aimed at neutralizing the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), as well as Rwanda’s decision to lift its defensive measures. If these commitments are fully implemented, they could significantly help ease tensions between the DRC and Rwanda,” said Huang Xia.
He also welcomed the appointment of Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé as the African Union’s mediator for the crisis, while calling for greater coordination among the various peace initiatives.
For her part, Congolese Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner denounced what she described as “deep-rooted impunity” and reiterated her call for the imposition of sanctions.
Meanwhile, Rwanda’s ambassador to the UN renewed Kigali’s protest over the continued presence of armed groups in eastern DRC.