BRUSSELS, Belgium (Chatnewstv.com) — The International Contact Group for the Great Lakes (ICG) on Tuesday issued a sharp condemnation of the escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), specifically citing a new offensive by the M23 rebel group in South Kivu province that is threatening regional stability.
The ICG, a consortium of 10 nations and the European Union, warned that the offensive by the March 23 Movement (M23), which it claims is supported by Rwanda, around the town of Uvira near the border with Burundi, “risks destabilizing the whole region.”
Chaired by Germany, the ICG’s statement expressed “profound concern regarding the renewed outbreak of violence” and highlighted a particularly dangerous development in the conflict: “The ICG expresses particular concern at the increased use of both attack and suicide drones in the conflict. This represents a significant escalation in the fighting and poses an acute risk to civilian populations.”
The group — whose members include Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States — urgently called for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
“The ICG urges the M23 and the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) to immediately halt offensive operations in eastern DRC, in particular in South Kivu,” the statement read. It demanded that the RDF withdraw from eastern DRC in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2773 and insisted that the M23 uphold its commitments made in the Declaration of Principles signed in Doha on July 19, 2025.
The ICG also stressed the humanitarian and diplomatic imperative to de-escalate the situation.
“We urge all parties to avoid escalatory or provocative speech and actions that gravely endanger civilian populations and risk irreparably undermining the significant progress achieved with the Framework Agreement signed in Doha on 15 November 2025 by the Government of the DRC and M23,” the group stated.
It called on all parties to honor their obligations to protect civilians, respect the DRC’s territorial integrity, adhere to the Washington Accords of December 4, 2025, and “urgently and unequivocally recommit to the ceasefire and to ensure full, safe and unimpeded, humanitarian access so that critical assistance can reach those in need.”
