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Washington, D.C. — Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Ranking Member Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) issued the following statement regarding conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

“We are concerned at the resumption of conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. As of October 2023, more than five million people there have been displaced due to conflict with armed groups, including M23 and former genocidaires (FDLR). Instability remains despite the efforts of the UN and East African Community missions.

“We are concerned by reports that the fighting has escalated since the end of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in December and call for the United States to continue to play a role in bringing parties back to the Luanda process. It is imperative that constructive dialogue takes place between Kinshasa and Kigali to identify confidence building measures that can facilitate a permanent resolution to the conflict.”

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