UN chief calls for DRC’s territorial integrity amid fears of regional war

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) territorial integrity to be respected and warned against the escalation of war in the region.

"The fighting that is raging in South Kivu -- as a result of the continuation of the M23 offensive -- threatens to push the entire region over the precipice," Guterres told leaders in an address to the summit, without mentioning Rwanda.

His remarks came at the African Union (AU) summit on Saturday, just a day after Rwandan-backed M23 fighters seized a second provincial capital in eastern DRC.

The conflict in eastern DRC, which has sparked growing international pressure on Rwanda, dominated the summit’s agenda.

While Rwandan President Paul Kagame attended the gathering, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi was notably absent amid the deteriorating security situation in his country.

M23 advances further into South Kivu

Having captured the key city of Goma in North Kivu last month, M23 rebels have continued their offensive, pushing into South Kivu.

On Friday, they seized Bukavu after taking control of a key airport, security and humanitarian sources reported.

"The fighting in South Kivu threatens to push the entire region over the precipice," Guterres warned in his speech. Without naming Rwanda directly, he called for urgent dialogue and emphasised that "there is no military solution" to the crisis.

Calls for ceasefire go unheeded

Despite an appeal from regional leaders on February 8 for an "immediate and unconditional" ceasefire, clashes resumed on Tuesday.

The AU’s Peace and Security Council met late into Friday night to address the crisis, though both Kagame and Tshisekedi were absent.

The European Union has also voiced concerns, stating that the "ongoing violation of the DRC’s territorial integrity will not go unanswered."

Meanwhile, Tshisekedi—speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Friday—urged the international community to "blacklist" Rwanda, accusing Kagame’s government of "expansionist ambitions" and the plundering of DRC’s mineral wealth.

Rwanda denies allegations, regional tensions escalate

Rwanda, while denying support for M23, claims its security is threatened by extremist Hutu groups operating in the DRC.

Neighboring Burundi has deployed thousands of troops to aid the struggling Congolese army, further complicating the regional security landscape.

As Africa grapples with conflicts in both DRC and Sudan, AU leaders opened the summit with calls for reparations for colonial-era abuses. However, critics argue that the body has been largely ineffective in preventing crises like the DRC conflict.

"Kagame has clearly calculated that his best approach is to push forward, and he does have some support," said Richard Moncrieff, Great Lakes project director at the International Crisis Group.

Leadership changes at the AU

During the summit, Angola’s President Joao Lourenço assumed the AU’s rotating chairmanship. In a surprise turn, Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf was elected chairman of the AU Commission, defeating Kenya’s Raila Odinga and Madagascar’s Richard Randriamandrato.

"We won, we have secured the most votes," Djiboutian presidential spokesman Alexis Mohamed declared.