UN experts to meet AFC/M23 in Goma for key talks on conflict, governance
One of the main topics will be AFC/M23’s demand for direct talks with the Congolese government.
The United Nations Group of Experts is set to visit Goma from March 23 to 27, 2025, for discussions with the Alliance of Congolese Forces (AFC) and the M23 rebel group.
The talks will cover a wide range of issues, including ceasefire conditions, security threats, and governance in areas under AFC/M23 control.
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One of the main topics will be AFC/M23’s demand for direct talks with the Congolese government.
The group has repeatedly called for formal negotiations, alongside discussions on a possible humanitarian truce or ceasefire. The UN delegation will assess the feasibility of such an agreement.
Another key issue is the ongoing military operations in North and South Kivu, where the conflict has led to large-scale displacement.
The return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, particularly those in Rwanda and Uganda, will be discussed, along with measures for their resettlement in their places of origin.
The meeting will also address the role of other armed groups operating in eastern DRC, including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the National Council for Renewal and Democracy-National Liberation Forces (CNRD-FLN).
The UN experts aim to understand these groups’ cooperation with the Congolese government and their impact on the security situation.
Security concerns for the Tutsi and Banyamulenge communities in the DRC will be examined, particularly threats posed by the Congolese Army (FARDC) and various armed factions.
Recent arrests
The recent arrests of FDLR and other fighters in Goma, Bukavu, and other AFC/M23-controlled areas will also be on the agenda.
The deployment of Burundian troops in the region and their operations in North and South Kivu will be another focus.
Additionally, the UN experts will review the status of the FARDC, the Congolese National Police (PNC), and former fighters who surrendered after battles in Goma, Bukavu, and other areas under AFC/M23 control.
Economic concerns will also be a major point of discussion, particularly the control of natural resources in AFC/M23-held areas.
The UN team will look into mineral production, trade, and exports, as well as AFC/M23’s measures to regulate mining and prevent illegal mineral sales.
Governance structures established by AFC/M23, including police, judicial, and administrative systems, will be examined.
The discussions will cover public security, access to education and healthcare, and financial management mechanisms such as banking and taxation.
The UN delegation will also focus on human rights, including measures taken to protect civilians, prevent forced recruitment, and ensure humane treatment of detainees.
AFC/M23’s collaboration with MONUSCO, UN agencies, and humanitarian organizations will be assessed.
The visit is expected to provide insight into the ongoing situation in eastern DRC and could shape international efforts to address the conflict.
The United Nations and Western governments say Rwanda has been providing arms and troops to the ethnic Tutsi-led M23.
Rwanda has denied backing M23 and says its military has been acting in self-defence against Congo's army and a militia founded by perpetrators of the 1994 genocide.
Congo and M23 had been expected to have their first direct talks on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Angola after Tshisekedi's government reversed its longstanding refusal to speak to the rebels.
But M23 pulled out on Monday, blaming European Union sanctions on some of its leaders and Rwandan officials.
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