On October 30, 2026, members of the International Contact Group for the Great Lakes Region (ICG), chaired by France, firmly rejected the use of violence to pursue political objectives, as advocated by the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), led by Joseph Kabila.
The joint statement was issued by Germany, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the United States, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland, and the European Union.
The ICG notably emphasized that “political differences and grievances cannot be resolved through military means.” This position comes amid persistent tensions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), following the announcement by the U.S. Treasury Department of sanctions targeting Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence and Zigama CSS Bank, over their support for the M23 movement.
Below is the official statement issued by the International Contact Group for the Great Lakes Region (ICG).
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Joint Statement from the International Contact Group for the Great Lakes region (ICG)
Joint statement
October 30th 2026
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the European Union, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America as members of the International Contact Group (ICG) for the Great Lakes region, chaired by France, issue the following statement on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The International Contact Group for the Great Lakes region (ICG) encourages all parties to the Washington Accords and Doha Framework to remain committed and engage in good faith to find a lasting and peaceful resolution of the conflict and to fulfil their obligations without delay. The ICG supports the efforts of the mediators, including those of the African Union, led by the President of the Council of the Togolese Republic, welcomes the co-facilitators’ recent visit to the region and reaffirms the importance of regional leadership.
In light of recent political and security-related developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the ICG welcomes the statement issued on 19 October by the President of the African Union Commission calling on all parties to exercise restraint. The ICG categorically rejects the pursuit of political objectives through the use of violence, as advocated by the recently created FRN (Front pour la Refondation de la Nation).
It underscores the need for all parties to respect the rule of law and the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and reiterates its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the DRC. It recalls the importance of a peaceful and inclusive inter-Congolese dialogue involving all key Congolese stakeholders as an essential prerequisite for lasting peace in the DRC. Political differences and grievances cannot be resolved by military means. Guaranteeing rule of law and protection of fundamental rights is crucial to ensure that all political parties and civil society organisations can freely exercise their role.
The ICG reiterates its deep concern over the continued fighting in eastern DRC and deplores the suffering inflicted on civilian populations. It urges all parties to honour their commitments made in Doha on 19 July 2025 to observe a ceasefire. The escalating use of drones has grave consequences for civilians and humanitarian workers.
The ICG reminds the parties to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2773, which calls for the Rwanda Defence Forces to cease support to the M23 and immediately withdraw from DRC territory without preconditions, the dismantling of illegitimate parallel administrations in the DRC territory, and the neutralization of the FDLR. On the last point, recalling the ICG statement of August taking good note of the plan put forward by the DRC government, the ICG encourages them to present a clear action plan and timeline aimed at swiftly implementing the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration protocol for FDLR groups.
Against the backdrop of increasing humanitarian needs and the Ebola epidemic, the ICG urges all parties and armed groups to respect international humanitarian law and to ensure that humanitarian actors have full, safe and unimpeded access to populations in need.
Joseph Kabila The new rebel leader of FRN
Institutional source cited in the article: Joint Statement by the International Contact Group for the Great Lakes Region (ICG
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Mwalimu Hakizimana Maurice is a teacher, a translator-interpreter, and a writer based in Paris, France.
Professor Hakizimana Maurice is the author of the book “UTABA AMATEKA NTABONA ITAKA” (Editions Scribes).
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