The United Nations (UN) Security Council is set to vote on a draft resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire by the M23 rebels and their withdrawal from all occupied areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The resolution also calls on the Rwanda Defence Force to halt its alleged support for M23 and pull out of DRC territory without preconditions. Additionally, it signals the council’s willingness to impose further measures against those perpetuating the conflict. The vote is scheduled for just after 10:30 p.m. South African time.
According to the draft, M23 must “immediately cease hostilities, withdraw from Goma and Bukavu in North and South Kivu, and fully reverse the establishment of illegitimate parallel administrations in the DRC territory.”
The resolution urges the DRC and Rwanda to engage in diplomatic negotiations without preconditions to reach a peaceful settlement.
Furthermore, the draft condemns the DRC military’s support for armed groups, including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and warns against any efforts to undermine the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The Security Council has vowed that any interference with MONUSCO’s mandate will not be tolerated.