The G7 Foreign Ministers have strongly condemned the Rwanda-backed M23 offensive in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), particularly the recent capture of Minova, Saké, and Goma. In a joint statement, ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with the European Union’s High Representative, called for an immediate halt to the offensive and urgent protection of civilians.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The ministers denounced all direct and indirect support to M23 and other non-state armed groups, warning that such actions violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC. They also expressed deep concern over M23’s plans to expand into South Kivu.
The latest escalation has triggered a humanitarian crisis, displacing thousands of civilians in Goma and across eastern DRC, adding to the hundreds of thousands already uprooted since M23’s resurgence in January. The G7 ministers called for safe and unrestricted access for humanitarian aid and demanded security guarantees for relief workers.
Urging a return to negotiations, the ministers emphasized the need for all parties to uphold commitments made under the Luanda Process and for M23 to withdraw from occupied areas. They reiterated support for MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, and stressed that its mandate must be respected.
The statement also condemned attacks on peacekeepers, expressing condolences to the families of those lost from MONUSCO and the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC). Additionally, the ministers denounced attacks on diplomatic missions in Kinshasa, urging Congolese authorities to fulfill their responsibility to protect diplomats and diplomatic premises under international law.
