New York/Goma, January 26, 2025 – The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Sunday to address the worsening crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as violence around the city of Goma escalates and the humanitarian situation spirals out of control.
UN officials and member states called for urgent action to protect civilians and peacekeepers, while warning of the dire consequences of inaction.
Bintou Keita, head of MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, delivered a stark assessment to the Council.
“We are trapped,” she said, referring to the growing challenges faced by peacekeepers amid renewed offensives by M23 rebels.
Keita called for immediate and decisive action to end the crisis and protect both civilians and UN personnel operating in the volatile region.
Ambassadors from Uruguay and South Africa, whose peacekeepers were recently killed in clashes with armed groups, appealed to the Security Council to ensure better protection for UN troops.
South Africa’s ambassador stressed the need for the Council to fulfill its mandate and take action to stabilize the region.
“The current situation in DR Congo requires immediate action,” the ambassador said. “The Council must discharge its mandate, and all parties must work to bring this conflict to an end.”
The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the DRC, Bruno Lemarquis, raised alarm over the escalating violence and its devastating impact on civilians.
Speaking from Goma, Lemarquis highlighted the catastrophic displacement of hundreds of thousands of people in recent days.
“Since the renewed M23 offensives near Goma on January 23, 2025, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee multiple active conflict zones,” Lemarquis said.
“Several displacement sites on the outskirts of Goma, hosting more than 300,000 people, have been completely emptied within hours.”
Lemarquis described the conditions as intolerable, with hospitals overwhelmed, humanitarian actors struggling to meet growing needs, and the use of heavy artillery in populated areas imposing grave risks on civilians.
“On behalf of the humanitarian community in the DRC, I call on all parties to the conflict to immediately halt the military escalation,” he said. “This violence exacerbates the suffering of populations in eastern DRC and worsens the already precarious conditions of civilians.”
“The World is Watching,” DRC Foreign Minister Tells Council
DR Congo’s Foreign Minister, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, speaking to the Security Council, delivered an impassioned plea for international action.
“The world is watching; it’s time to act,” he said, emphasizing the need for the international community to hold accountable those fueling the conflict and to take concrete steps to restore peace and stability.
Humanitarian Crisis
The renewed M23 offensive near Goma has triggered one of the largest displacement crises in recent memory, with humanitarian organizations struggling to keep pace.
Many displacement sites have been abandoned entirely, and the capacity to provide food, shelter, and medical assistance is stretched to the breaking point.
The proximity of fighting to densely populated areas has also raised fears of mass civilian casualties, with emergency services in Goma overwhelmed despite support from humanitarian organizations.
The Security Council is expected to deliberate on potential measures to address the crisis, including increased support for MONUSCO, stronger enforcement of the July 2024 ceasefire agreement, and diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions between the DRC and Rwanda, which Kinshasa accuses of supporting M23—a claim Kigali denies.
