The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to face multiple, complex conflicts alongside a severe humanitarian crisis, with over 5.7 million internally displaced persons and more than 24.8 million people experiencing food insecurity. In response, a range of regional and international mediation efforts — including U.S., Qatari, and African Union-led initiatives — have been launched. With divergent peace tracks unfolding in parallel and a constrained MONUSCO peacekeeping mission, it is critical to examine how these efforts can reinforce, rather than fragment, pathways to peace.
The workshop underscored that the DRC is at a critical juncture in its pursuit of sustainable peace. Participants emphasized that coherence, efficiency, and complementarity across the three primary mediation tracks will be essential to advancing durable outcomes. Representatives involved in these efforts reiterated that no single peace process can resolve the crisis alone, while noting growing communication, trust, and coordination among mediation actors.
From a peacekeeping perspective, MONUSCO highlighted its operational focus on ceasefire implementation and oversight, particularly in areas where armed groups continue to pose the most significant threat to peace and stability. Mission representatives stressed the need to continuously adapt operations to evolving political and security dynamics on the ground. With the Mission’s narrowed ceasefire oversight mandate in South Kivu, they further emphasized the importance of managing local expectations, as community perceptions of MONUSCO’s role may extend beyond its current operational scope.
Participants also emphasized the importance of meaningfully integrating women, youth, and civil society into formal peace processes to strengthen local ownership and confidence in mediation outcomes. In this context, KAS DRC highlighted its Great Lakes Youth Network initiative, which works to expand opportunities for youth engagement in peacebuilding across the region.
The workshop underscored that the DRC is at a critical juncture in its pursuit of sustainable peace. Participants emphasized that coherence, efficiency, and complementarity across the three primary mediation tracks will be essential to advancing durable outcomes. Representatives involved in these efforts reiterated that no single peace process can resolve the crisis alone, while noting growing communication, trust, and coordination among mediation actors.
From a peacekeeping perspective, MONUSCO highlighted its operational focus on ceasefire implementation and oversight, particularly in areas where armed groups continue to pose the most significant threat to peace and stability. Mission representatives stressed the need to continuously adapt operations to evolving political and security dynamics on the ground. With the Mission’s narrowed ceasefire oversight mandate in South Kivu, they further emphasized the importance of managing local expectations, as community perceptions of MONUSCO’s role may extend beyond its current operational scope.
Participants also emphasized the importance of meaningfully integrating women, youth, and civil society into formal peace processes to strengthen local ownership and confidence in mediation outcomes. In this context, KAS DRC highlighted its Great Lakes Youth Network initiative, which works to expand opportunities for youth engagement in peacebuilding across the region.