The Turbulent Peace Process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

by Virgil Hawkins | 30 March 2025 | Conflict/military, GNV News, Sub-Saharan Africa

GNV News, March 30, 2025

Since the start of 2025, the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has seen many major changes both on the battlefield and at the negotiating table. The M23, the largest anti-government armed group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, advanced significantly in the country’s east together with the Rwandan military, seizing the region’s largest cities, Goma and Bukavu. In March, M23 captured the mineral-rich town of Walikale and, although it announced it would later withdraw, it has remained and is fortifying its positions.

In the peace process, under Angola’s mediation, peace talks between the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and M23 were scheduled to begin on March 18, but M23 announced just before the start that it would not participate. It later became clear that Qatar had begun directly mediating between the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and the two governments held meetings on March 18 and 28. In turn, Angola announced that it would step down from its role as mediator in the conflict.

Meanwhile, the regional organization the Southern African Development Community (SADC) decided on March 13 to withdraw the several thousand troops it had deployed to stabilize the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since the beginning of 2025, 14 soldiers from this force have been killed in action in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. An agreement for the withdrawal was reached between SADC and M23.

Burundi, which had deployed forces to support the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, announced its withdrawal in February, but Uganda, which remains at odds with Rwanda, still has a force of several thousand troops stationed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There are concerns about further escalation of the regional conflict.

Learn more about the background of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo → “A tragedy unknown to the world: Democratic Republic of the Congo”