Democratic Republic of Congo: a gathering momentum towards peace?

The Special Representative of UN Secretary-General on Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Martin Kohler – who is also the head of the UN mission, MONUSCO – has claimed that there is a “new momentum” behind efforts to stabilise the country. The deputy head of MONUSCO, recently said that almost 90% of the country is now under government control. There is plenty to support the Special Representative’s claim. If the situation on the ground continues to improve, the 2016 presidential and national legislative elections could be the first in the history of the DRC to be held under conditions of genuine peace and security. But even the DRC’s international supporters are quick to acknowledge that this is still a big ‘if’. Russell Feingold, the US special envoy for the DRC and the Great Lakes Region, argued earlier this month that much remains to be done. This note briefly surveys the country’s current trajectory.