Fragile Stability in Eastern Congo

General Laurent Nkunda's unilateral ceasefire continues to hold in North Kivu, but the outcome of his recent offensive remains far from certain.

Ceasefire Negotiations

High level international negotiators are in the region to work towards maintaining the ceasefire, preventing further violence and to negotiate a lasting peace deal. It is unclear whether the Congolese government will agree to speak with Nkunda, as they have already rejected direct talks with the CNDP.

Deserted Refugee Camps

After Nkunda's advance, several UN administered refugee camps were located in the territory held by his militia. Today, a UN relief convoy got its first look at the camps in Rutshuru and Kibumba, camps that held more than 50,000 internally displaced persons were reportedly flattened and virtually empty.

Reinforcements for MONUC

MONUC (the UN Peacekeeping Force in the DRC) is reportedly stretched, with 800 troops deployed in and around Goma. In order to augment MONUC and help prevent a humanitarian catastrophe, the European Union was considering sending up to 1,500 soldiers to assist MONUC. Despite this initial statement, the EU decided over the weekend to not send troops and instead concentrate on a diplomatic offensive. European leaders also stated that any EU force would focus on humanitarian assistance and not military force