International Contact Group Warns Tension Over Congo Hostilities

Western governments are warning that renewed hostilities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo risk undermining fragile ceasefire agreements reached in 2025, as violations involving drone strikes and military activity threaten ongoing peace negotiations.

The warning came in a joint statement issued by the International Contact Group for the Great Lakes (ICG), which includes the United States, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the European Union, currently chaired by Sweden. The group said recent developments risk destabilizing a peace process anchored by agreements signed in July 2025 and December 2025.

The ICG expressed “profound concern regarding the continued and recent violations in eastern DRC of the ceasefires” tied to the Washington Accords signed on 4 December 2025 and the Doha commitment on 19 July 2025 to establish a permanent ceasefire.

The statement noted that recent incidents include the use of drones in military attacks, a tactic that the group warned poses a direct risk to civilian populations in contested areas of eastern Congo.

“All parties involved should urgently and unequivocally recommit to ceasing the hostilities and return to negotiations,” the governments said.

The statement emphasized that diplomatic efforts remain the only viable path forward. “There can be no military solution to the conflict,” the group said.

Multiple mediation channels are currently operating to contain the crisis. The ICG highlighted ongoing diplomacy led by Faure Gnassingbé, the President of the Council of the Republic of Togo, who was appointed by the African Union (AU) as a mediator.

The group also acknowledged the work of a Panel of Facilitators, as well as mediation efforts conducted by the United States and Qatar.

Several international organizations are also involved in monitoring and verification initiatives. According to the statement, Qatar, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) are working to establish a mechanism to monitor ceasefire compliance.

Such monitoring structures are intended to prevent violations like the drone attacks highlighted in the statement and help enforce the ceasefire obligations laid out in UN Security Council resolutions 2773 and 2808.

The ICG statement also addressed the humanitarian situation in eastern Congo, urging all actors to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law and guarantee safe and unimpeded access for aid organizations.

Some developments were cited as positive steps. These include the reopening of the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, as well as the temporary use of Goma airport for humanitarian operations.

The airport’s use resumed during a visit by MONUSCO Interim Head and Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bruno van de Perre, who traveled to Goma to assess conditions. The ICG expressed hope that the airport could reopen fully for sustained humanitarian flights.

The statement also referenced a diplomatic visit by EU Commissioner Hadja Lahbib, which was followed by commitments from regional actors to facilitate humanitarian access.

Beyond military concerns, the ICG warned that rhetoric targeting ethnic groups could worsen instability. The group specifically urged political and military actors to halt incitement to hatred, discrimination or violence, including rhetoric targeting Rwandophone minorities in eastern Congo.

The statement stressed that such narratives risk undermining social cohesion and increasing civilian vulnerability in already fragile regions.

The governments involved in the statement concluded by emphasizing their readiness to support diplomatic mediation and humanitarian efforts designed to stabilize the region.