The special representative of the General secretary for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bintou Keita, informed the Security Council of an attack on the residence of a Congolese politician, in which two police officers were killed.
Rapid expansion of armed groups
Keita, who also heads the UN Stabilization Mission in the country (MONUSCO), expressed grave concern about the rapid growth of the armed group Movement of March 23 (M23) in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.
In the past two weeks, the group has taken strategic positions in North Kivu, including the territories of Kanyabayonga, Lubero and Rutshuru.
During their latest attack, M23 and its supporters burned several army bases, causing further displacement and worsening an already catastrophic humanitarian and human rights situation.
Other M23 attacks have killed and injured several civilians and worsened tensions in the community, the UN representative said, warning that “the rapid escalation of the M23 crisis carries the very real risk of provoking a wider regional conflict.”
Gender violence
Keita also warned of a rise in sexual and gender-based violence, with 122,960 cases recorded in 2023, an increase of 3% compared to 2022.
Female victims, including girls, accounted for almost 90% of cases, and incidents of sexual violence against minors increased by 40%.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg, as many cases remain unreported,” she added, predicting that even higher figures for gender-based violence could be recorded in 2024.
Terrible humanitarian crisis
The special representative also reported to the Security Council that the African country faces one of the most serious, complex and neglected humanitarian crises of our times.
“The escalation of violence in the east continues to lead to massive population displacement, exacerbating a dire humanitarian situation,” Keita stressed.
Around 7.3 million people are displaced in the countrymostly in the east.
Humanitarian efforts are facing very complex challenges due to the proximity of the conflict fronts and the presence of heavy weapons around the displaced persons camps, he explained.
Addressing the root causes
Keita called on Member States and regional organisations to strengthen their commitment to political and regional solutions that will reduce humanitarian suffering.
The diplomat urged the international community to recommit to addressing the root causes of conflicts that are causing the dramatic increase in humanitarian needs.
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