M23’s Goma Takeover Needs an Urgent, Robust Response

Statement from Refugees International’s Senior Advocate for East and Southern Africa, Abdullahi Boru Halakhe:
“The takeover by the M23 Rwanda-backed rebel group of Goma – the largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s east – poses an urgent threat to the lives of millions, including at least 4 million people already displaced in the eastern region of the country.
To avert further deterioration, the Eastern African Community (EAC), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the African Union Peace and Security Council should call for the immediate withdrawal of the Rwandan military from the DRC, the cessation of hostilities by M23, and unimpeded humanitarian access to reach people in need. Neighboring countries should also allow people fleeing the fighting to seek refuge within their borders.
Goma – which has been the scene of protracted conflict between the DRC military, M23, and other militant groups – is also the humanitarian hub that provides safety and humanitarian assistance for internally displaced people, some of whom have been displaced multiple times.
The latest escalations threaten the civilian population and put aid workers at risk. The closure of the Goma airport, the suspension of all boat traffic on Lake Kivu, and electricity cuts will undercut the delivery of humanitarian aid across the country’s vast eastern region. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has reported that the recent fighting has already displaced 400,000 people in just the past three weeks. Refugees International condemns the attacks and killing of UN peacekeepers.
As Refugees International reported last year, internally displaced people in the area face severe food insecurity and a lack of adequate shelter. Women face incredibly high rates of gender-based violence (GBV). According to OCHA, GBV has increased by 300 percent in recent years, and two-thirds of all cases occurred in the three eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri.
The United Nations Secretary-General and the UN Security Council have put diplomatic pressure on the M23 and Rwanda, which backs it. The UN Security Council should consider sanctions against those who impede humanitarian access and kill UN peacekeepers.
The EU and its member states should review their military assistance to the Rwandan armed forces, including the European Peace Facility’s recent decision to renew support for its deployment in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, as a matter of priority to ensure that they do not contribute directly or indirectly to abusive military operations in eastern Congo.
The Trump administration and Congress should call for the reduction or withdrawal of all financial aid to Rwanda’s government and the military until Rwanda withdraws all its soldiers from the DRC territories. The United States should coordinate the suspension of aid with France, the UK, the World Bank, the IMF, and the EU to ensure coherency.”
For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Etant Dupain at edupain@refugeesinternational.org.
Featured Image: Internally displaced people in makeshift IDP camps in North Kivu province, Kanyaruchinya, near Goma, January 2024. Photo by Moses Sawasawa for Refugees International.