Congolese Nobel Laureate Denis Mukwege says Kinshasa-M23 peace deal ‘illegitimate’

Congolese Nobel Peace Laureate Dr Denis Mukwege has denounced the ongoing peace process between Kinshasa and M23 rebels aimed at ending the fighting in eastern DRC.

In a statement released over the weekend, Mukwege called the Washington- and Doha-led initiative “illegitimate, precarious and incapable of guaranteeing lasting peace.”

Mukwege pointed to what he called the “predatory dynamics” of foreign actors looking to get their hands on the region’s vast mineral resources.

He said the deal neglects the root causes and regional dynamics of the conflict and instead serves foreign geo-strategic interests. He also claimed that the people of North and South Kivu have been excluded from the negotiations and are still “deprived of their fundamental rights.”

Mukwege criticised the peace process currently underway as lacking transparency, guarantees or a clear timetable. He said any lack of rigour in the agreement would allow for selective enforcement and create uncertainty on the ground.

To be able to ensure lasting peace, Mukwege says, any agreement must include affected communities in discussions and put their rights ahead of foreign and economic interests.

DRC opposition leaders have called on President Félix Tshisekedi to make the agreement public before signing it and warned against agreeing to anything “that would undermine the sovereignty of the DRC.”

Mukwege was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for his work to end sexual violence as a weapon of war.