The recent fall of the city of Uvira, in South Kivu province, to rebels from the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC)/M23 has reignited tensions and sparked strong reactions among Congolese politicians and civil society. Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, Archbishop of Kinshasa, at the close of the 15th Plenary Assembly of the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (ACEAC) on Sunday 14 December 2025, expressed his indignation at this situation, pointing to the limitations of international peace initiatives which, in his view, exclude the Congolese people and trivialize the plundering of the country’s resources.The ACEAC brings together the episcopal conferences of the DRC, Burundi and Rwanda.
An “incomprehensible” fall after the agreements
In a strong statement, Cardinal Ambongo questioned the effectiveness and sincerity of the recent peace agreements signed in Washington between the DRC and Rwanda, under the auspices of the United States. The signing of these agreements last week was intended to restore stability in eastern DRC, but the situation on the ground has not improved, quite the contrary.”How can we
understand that less than a week after the ratification of the Washington agreements, the city of Uvira has fallen under occupation?” exclaimed the Catholic prelate.This question echoes criticism that Rwanda, accused of supporting the M23, violated the terms of the agreement almost immediately after it was signed. US officials, including Senator Marco Rubio, also described Rwanda’s actions as a “clear violation” of the commitments made to President Trump, who facilitated the signing.
The limits of “exclusive” peace initiatives
Beyond the chronology of events, Cardinal Ambongo criticized the very substance of these peace
initiatives. He sees them as an insidious normalization of the systematic plundering of the natural resources of the DRC, a country rich in minerals but whose population languishes in poverty.”How can we fail to see in this collapse the very limitations of agreements and other initiatives that subtly exclude the Congolese people and seek to normalize the systematic plundering of Congo’s resources?” he insisted.This statement highlights a sentiment shared by many Congolese: international negotiations often fail to take into account the deep aspirations of the Congolese people and to guarantee their sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Written by Azarias Mokonzi