MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the escalation of violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
10.2.2025 - (2025/2553(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 136(2) of the Rules of Procedure
Yannis Maniatis, Marit Maij
on behalf of the S&D Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B10-0102/2025
B10‑0109/2025
European Parliament resolution on the escalation of violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),
– having regard to the statement by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on behalf of the EU of 25 January 2025 on the latest escalation in eastern DRC,
– having regard to the statement by G7 foreign ministers of 2 February 2025 on the escalation of violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo,
– having regard to the press statement of the UN Security Council of 26 January 2025 on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
– having regard to the special session of the UN Human Rights Council of 7 February 2025 on the human rights situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
– having regard to the communiqué of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union of 28 January 2025 on the recent developments in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,
– having regard to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) of 18 December 1979,
– having regard to the Partnership Agreement of 15 November 2023 between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, of the other part[1],
– having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas in January 2025, the armed rebel group M23, backed by Rwandan forces, further advanced in the eastern DRC and seized the regional capital city of Goma; whereas violence between rebel groups and the Congolese army increased sharply, causing a high number of civilian casualties; whereas an estimated 3 000 deaths occurred during the offensive on Goma;
B. whereas M23 announced a unilateral ceasefire to begin on 4 February 2025; whereas fighting has continued nonetheless; whereas there are reports that the mining town of Nyabibwe in South Kivu has been captured by M23; whereas M23 leaders have declared their intention to continue advancing in the DRC;
C. whereas the latest advances of M23 mark an alarming escalation of the devastating conflict in the eastern DRC and have further destabilised the country; whereas the region has been plagued by decades of cyclical violence, causing a security and humanitarian crisis; whereas a ceasefire brokered in 2024 did not hold;
D. whereas there are estimated to be around 100 separate armed groups operating in eastern DRC; whereas the largest of the foreign armed groups is the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR);
E. whereas the seizing of Goma has led to significant displacement of civilians; whereas an estimated 700 000 people have been displaced since early January 2025; whereas thousands of Congolese people had previously fled to the city to escape violence and have been further driven from camps for internally displaced people into makeshift tents or forced to sleep out in the open; whereas the safety of internally displaced people is now seriously threatened, with women and girls suffering disproportionately;
F. whereas eastern DRC was already the centre of one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world; whereas thousands of people are facing shortages of food, medicine and drinking water; whereas hospitals are overwhelmed and there is limited electricity and running water in Goma; whereas there are rapidly growing levels of malnutrition, particularly among children; whereas access for humanitarian assistance is restricted and Goma airport remains closed;
G. whereas sanitary conditions, notably in camps for internally displaced people, are extremely concerning; whereas experts are warning of the risks of widespread outbreaks of diseases, including cholera and mpox; whereas in January 2025 the Commission announced an increase of EUR 60 million in EU humanitarian assistance to the DRC;
H. whereas instances of gender-based and sexual violence, including the use of rape as a weapon of war, are staggeringly high; whereas the UN reported that more than 165 women were raped and that most were later burned alive during a jailbreak in Goma following the M23 advance on the city; whereas the current spike in rape and assault in eastern DRC follows decades of widespread sexual violence perpetuated against generations of Congolese women;
I. whereas the seizure of Goma triggered violent protests in Kinshasa, with dozens of protesters attacking embassies and calling on the international community to halt the advancement of M23;
J. whereas the UN mission Monusco has been deployed in the DRC since 2010; whereas President Tshisekedi announced a deadline of December 2024 for all Monusco peacekeeping troops to leave the DRC; whereas this withdrawal was put on hold and the mandate of the mission extended to December 2025;
K. whereas the conflict in the DRC is at risk of regional spillover; whereas a peacekeeping deployment from the East African Community Regional Forces (EACRF) withdrew in 2023; whereas the Southern African Development Community deployed a peacekeeping mission to the DRC in December 2023 with troops from South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi; whereas at least 20 peacekeepers were killed during the M23 advance on Goma; whereas on 6 February 2025, Malawi announced the withdrawal of its troops from this mission;
L. whereas it is widely acknowledged that Rwanda is active in the conflict in eastern DRC, including through its de-facto control of M23, to which it supplies weapons, logistical support and troops; whereas UN experts estimate there are between 3 000 and 4 000 Rwandan troops operating with M23;
M. whereas North Kivu is a resource-rich region, with vast supplies of critical raw materials including cobalt, gold and tin, which are necessary for the global digital and energy transition; whereas Goma is a major transport and trading hub for the export of minerals; whereas the UN estimates that around 120 tonnes of coltan is being moved by M23 to Rwanda each month; whereas UN experts further estimate that M23 is financed by around EUR 288 000 per month generated through its control of the mineral trade in the DRC;
N. whereas the EU has formed raw materials partnerships with several countries, including the DRC and Rwanda; whereas the EU signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on sustainable raw materials value chains with Rwanda on 19 February 2024 to promote sustainable and responsible production of critical minerals; whereas the MoU is underpinned with a roadmap for joint action; whereas the Rwanda-EU roadmap has not yet been developed, and roadmaps are not made public; whereas parliamentary scrutiny of the development and implementation of the MoU is lacking;
O. whereas the MoU commits Rwanda to aligning with international standards by joining the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative; whereas Rwanda has not done so to date; whereas under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act, the Commission is currently assessing applications for strategic projects with partner countries to increase EU capacity and supply;
1. Expresses deep concern at the alarming escalation of violence and the seizure of Goma; deplores the loss of life and the sexual violence perpetrated against women and girls; expresses its sympathy with the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
2. Underlines the urgent need for the stabilisation of the country and the implementation of an immediate ceasefire; calls on M23 to halt its territorial advances, notably to refrain from any further advancement into South Kivu and to withdraw from the territory of the DRC, and for all parties to observe a cessation of violence;
3. Calls on all state actors, including the governments of the DRC and Rwanda, to cease any cooperation with armed groups, including M23 and FDLR;
4. Is extremely concerned by the critical humanitarian situation in the country; calls for the creation of a humanitarian corridor and for all parties, including armed groups operating in eastern DRC, to allow and facilitate humanitarian access; emphasises that humanitarian workers must be able to operate safely to deliver life-saving assistance to Congolese civilians; stresses that this is a central obligation under international humanitarian law, and that perpetrators violating these obligations should be held to account;
5. Welcomes the increased humanitarian support pledged by the EU, but notes that this still falls far short of satisfying the basic needs for food, water, medical assistance and shelter in eastern DRC, especially in the light of the recent termination of support from the United States Agency for International Development; calls on the Commission and the international community to significantly step up financial support for urgent and life-saving assistance;
6. Urges the Government of the DRC to work with the international community to address the displacement crisis and provide shelter, sanitation and support for internally displaced people, including increased protection for the safety of all displaced people, notably women and girls;
7. Deplores the endemic sexual and gender-based violence committed against women and girls in the region; underlines that abuse of women and girls escalates into conflict, and that sexual violence is used as a weapon of war; reiterates that sexual violence is a war crime, and those responsible must be held accountable; urges the European External Action Service (EEAS), Member States and the Government of the DRC to take immediate action to prevent sexual violence and improve care for survivors, including by adapting the national legal framework to guarantee access to medical abortion care;
8. Draws attention to the health needs of pregnant women, notably those who are displaced and out of reach of medical support; calls on the EEAS and Member States to further prioritise the disbursement of humanitarian support for women and girls in the region;
9. Calls on M23 to allow the immediate reopening of Goma International Airport; underlines that this is essential for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and the evacuation of injured people;
10. Recognises the contribution made by peacekeeping forces from Monusco and the Southern African Development Community mission, as well as the past contribution by the EACRF; offers its condolences for the peacekeepers who have lost their lives; reiterates its support for the continuation of Monusco’s mandate;
11. Underlines that a lasting peace must be found through a return to political processes and cooperation; calls on the Government of the DRC and all armed groups to commit to the Nairobi Process for resumed national dialogue;
12. Regrets that there has long been a lack of accountability for human rights violations in eastern DRC; urges the UN Human Rights Council to create an independent mandate for the investigation of human rights abuses in the region; considers that this should contribute to efforts to hold perpetrators of human rights violations to account;
13. Calls on the President and Government of Rwanda to respond to calls from the international community to withdraw their support for M23 and prevent any further destabilisation in the DRC; urges Rwanda to ensure that the advance of M23 is halted and that all M23 and Rwandan troops are withdrawn from eastern DRC; underlines that the territorial integrity of the DRC must be respected; calls on the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the governments of the Member States to raise these urgent concerns with Rwanda at the highest levels;
14. Calls on the Commission to suspend the MoU on sustainable raw materials and value chains; further calls on the Commission to undertake an immediate assessment of the feasibility of implementing the MoU in the light of the widespread evidence of illegal mineral smuggling and financing of M23; calls for the conclusions of such an assessment to be presented to Parliament as soon as possible; notes that parliamentary oversight and civil society involvement in the signing and implementation of raw material MoUs and roadmaps is essential for an inclusive process with adequate scrutiny, and must become part of the MoU;
15. Stresses that effective implementation of the MoU with Rwanda can only be made in good faith if both parties commit to increasing due diligence and traceability, and tackling illegal trafficking; stresses that this is currently not the case; urges Rwanda to join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative as an essential first step towards implementing the commitments outlined in the MoU;
16. Calls on the Commission to suspend any proposals for strategic projects with Rwanda that are currently under consideration in the framework of the Critical Raw Materials Act and the Global Gateway initiative; notes that strategic projects must be implemented sustainably and in compliance with human rights and due diligence standards, something which cannot be guaranteed currently;
17. Stresses the importance of a return to regional dialogue to deescalate the conflict; urges the authorities of the DRC and Rwanda to resume the Luanda peace process;
18. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the African Union, the Southern African Development Community, the East African Community, the President, Government and Parliament of Rwanda, and the President, Government and Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- [1] OJ L, 2023/2862, 28.12.2023, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2023/2862/oj.