The new fighting has caused civilian casualties, destroyed infrastructure and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes, according to United Nations officials and humanitarian groups.
The UN and Security Council have repeatedly described the Tutsi-majority M23 militia as being backed by Rwanda, a claim Kigali has repeatedly denied.
US Ambassador Mike Waltz told the Council on Friday that, having brought Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo together in Washington to sign a peace deal last week, the government was “incredibly disappointed” by Kigali’s actions in recent days in support of the M23 rebels, which it fully controls.
A crisis of ‘incalculable consequences’
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, head of UN Peace Operations, warned that the offensive has revived “the specter of a regional outbreak with incalculable consequences,” saying that the territorial expansion of the AFC/M23 and the weakening of the authority of the DRC government in the eastern areas threaten national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He said recent diplomatic developments – including the Washington Accords signed on December 4 between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and the Doha Framework Agreement in November between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the AFC/M23 – had raised genuine hope for a reduction in tension.
But persistent ceasefire violations and renewed fighting now risk undoing that progress.
“The growing gap between political commitments and their effective implementation on the ground undermines the credibility of peace processes and fuels the sense of abandonment felt by civilians.”said Mr. Lacroix.
MONUSCO peacekeepers patrolling near Bunia, the provincial capital of Ituri, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
MONUSCO, a fundamental lifeline
As violence escalates, the UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, remains a central – and increasingly strained – pillar of civil protection in eastern DRC, just days before the Security Council decides on the renewal of its mandate.
Mr. Lacroix told Council members that MONUSCO continues to provide direct physical protection to around 100,000 displaced people living near its bases.particularly in North Kivu and Ituri, through daily patrols, early warning systems and close collaboration with communities.
He said the mission has adopted a more preventive stance, focusing on deterrence, rapid response and sustained presence around displacement sites where armed groups operate in close proximity.
Restricted operations
However, he warned that MONUSCO’s ability to carry out its mandate is becoming increasingly limited. The restrictions imposed by AFC/M23 on freedom of movement, fuel, water and electricity supplies – along with the continued closure of Goma airport – are limiting mobility, delaying rotations and hampering humanitarian access.
At the same time, funding shortages and reductions in uniformed and civilian personnel, linked to the UN’s broader liquidity crisis, are impacting the mission’s rapid response capacity and operational reach.
Mr. Lacroix stressed MONUSCO’s role in protecting civilians and supporting the reduction of tensions remains essential, warning that “diplomatic progress must now be translated into real improvements on the ground.”
Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim of Doctors Without Borders briefs the Security Council on the health and humanitarian situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The health system collapses
The humanitarian cost is increasing. Hospitals and clinics in North and South Kivu are struggling to cope with a constant influx of wounded civilians amid severe shortages of staff, medicines and equipment.
Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim, emergency physician and international president of Doctors Without Borders (MSF), said Health systems in eastern DRC are “collapsing” under the combined impact of violence, mass displacement and reduced humanitarian access..
“MSF teams continue to witness staggering levels of violence, displacement and deprivation,” he said. “This crisis is not subsiding.”
Sexual violence and disease outbreaks
Sexual violence remains widespread and systematic, especially affecting women and girls.
Dr Abdelmoneim said nearly 28,000 survivors sought care at MSF-supported facilities across eastern DRC in the first six months of the year alone, an average of more than 150 people a day. Many arrived too late to receive preventive treatment, while others never received any care at all.
At the same time, infectious diseases are spreading rapidly. Cholera cases have surpassed 38,000 this year and deaths have more than doubled compared to last year. Measles continues to spread and malaria outbreaks are occurring amid limited diagnostic and treatment capacity.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo seeks solutions in good faith
The Democratic Republic of the Congo condemned what it described as a renewed offensive by the Rwanda Defense Forces-M23 launched shortly after the signing of the Washington Agreement, saying it violated commitments and worsened an already serious humanitarian situation.
Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner said Kinshasa had carried out diplomacy in good faith through processes led by the United States, Qatar and Africa, but warned that continued attacks, attacks on civilians and cross-border risks threaten regional stability.
He urged the Security Council to enforce resolution 2773 (2025), strengthen MONUSCO’s mandate and impose consequences for continued violations, stressing that lasting peace requires accountability.
Rwanda denounces persecution in South Kivu
Rwanda rejected the allegations and said MONUSCO’s renewed mandate should reinforce the Washington Peace Agreement and the Doha Framework through strict impartiality and support for ceasefire implementation.
Ambassador Karoli Martin Ngoga stated that progress depended on the political will of all parties and expressed concern about what he described as persecution of the Banyamulenge community in South Kivu, citing displacement, killings and blockades by Congolese forces and allied militias.
He called for a political solution and reaffirmed Kigali’s stated commitment to promoting lasting peace through the Washington process.
Burundi condemns the capture of Uvira
Ambassador Zéphyrin Maniratanga of Burundi condemned the alleged capture of Uvira by M23 fighters backed by the Rwanda Defense Forces, calling it a violation of resolution 2773 and warning of serious civilian suffering and mass displacement to his country.
He said cross-border artillery and drone strikes had reached Burundian territory, threatening regional sovereignty and stability.
It called for the full implementation of Washington’s commitments, increased civil protection and urgent humanitarian assistance for refugees, while reaffirming its readiness to support peace efforts and defend its territorial integrity under the UN Charter.