UN Security Council extends sanctions on DRC
The sanctions, first imposed years ago, include restrictions on arms transfers, financial assets and travel for individuals and groups linked to armed conflict and instability in the region.
The United Nations Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution renewing sanctions on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) until July 1, 2026, to address violence and insecurity in the country's eastern region.
The decision, outlined in Resolution 2783 (2025), is part of a broader push to support peace and stability in the DRC and the wider Great Lakes region.
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The sanctions, first imposed years ago, include restrictions on arms transfers, financial assets and travel for individuals and groups linked to armed conflict and instability in the region.
According to the resolution, the DRC's armed forces have been exempted from the arms embargo and are not required to follow prior notification procedures. The exemption, reaffirmed in May 2024, aims to support the country's efforts to strengthen its security sector.
The resolution has also extended the mandate of the Group of Experts, tasked with monitoring the implementation of sanctions in the country and reporting on security developments until August 1, 2026.
The Group of Experts is expected to submit a mid-term report by December 30, 2025, a final report by June 15, 2026, and provide monthly updates. The Council plans to review the Group's mandate by July 1, 2026 and decide on any further extension.
France, which introduced the resolution, thanked Council members for their support and emphasised the importance of maintaining pressure on those fueling violence in the eastern DRC region.
The French representative, Nicolas de Rivière, highlighted recent positive developments, including a draft peace agreement signed on June 27 by the foreign ministers of the DRC and Rwanda. The agreement was reached with support from the United States.
"What we are doing shows that improvement in the Great Lakes region can occur. We must do all we can to support peace and security in the region," he said.
Further, the Council reaffirmed its commitment to justice for the two UN experts and four Congolese nationals who were recently killed while working in the DRC, calling for continued support to investigations and accountability for those responsible.
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