The National Assembly speaker, Aimé Boji Sangara, devoted a significant portion of his closing address for the March ordinary session on Monday 15 June 2026 to the escalating security crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, describing it as the legislature’s foremost concern.

From the outset, Boji stressed the severity of conditions on the ground. He voiced the assembly’s unease over persistent armed violence, particularly in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri, where civilians continue to bear the brunt of conflict.

“The security situation in the east of our country remains the top concern for the national representation. As we conclude these proceedings, our thoughts immediately turn to eastern DRC. The Rwandan aggression, along with its terrorist proxy AFC/M23, and the atrocious massacres perpetrated by ADF terrorists, continue to shed the blood of our compatriots,” he declared in his speech.

In the same vein, Boji reiterated parliament’s firm condemnation of the ongoing armed violence and attacks against civilians.

The lower house speaker also paid tribute to the defence and security forces, as well as the self-defence groups fighting alongside the Congolese army.

“From this podium, the National Assembly renews its strongest condemnation of this deadly and unjust war. This is an opportunity to pay vibrant and solemn homage to our armed forces, the FARDC, and to the Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland, the Wazalendo, who fight day and night at the risk of their lives. To the battered populations of South Kivu, North Kivu and Ituri, we say: the nation does not forget you,” he assured.

Speaking in a particularly resolute tone, Boji called for an immediate halt to hostilities and foreign interference in the eastern part of the country. He also reaffirmed the DRC’s determination to safeguard its territorial integrity.

The lawmaker from Walungu, South Kivu, and president of the National Assembly urged Kigali to recognise the regional imperative of prioritising lasting peace between neighbours.

“To the Rwandan aggressors and their AFC/M23 auxiliaries, we say it is time for the Rwandan regime to stop its destabilisation manoeuvres, end the looting of our resources and immediately halt the extermination of our people. Neither expansionist ambitions nor violence will erode our sovereignty. No portion of our territory can be ceded. Rwanda must understand that geography condemns us to be neighbours forever. War will only perpetuate a hatred that future generations will pay for, and only durable peace will benefit all,” he stressed in his address.

The security situation in this part of the country continues nevertheless to deteriorate. Despite the existence of the Washington Accord brokered by the United States, as well as the Doha process led by the State of Qatar with support from the African Union, and despite successive assessment meetings, the security and humanitarian situation in eastern DRC remains alarming. Civilians in that corner of the nation continue to be the main victims of violence and forced displacement, worsening an already catastrophic humanitarian context amid declining international humanitarian funding.

Faced with this state of affairs, voices at the national, regional and international levels continue to call on all parties to respect the commitments made under peace initiatives. However, these appeals have so far yielded no significant result. The goal of bridging the persistent gap between ground realities and diplomatic progress recorded on paper remains elusive. Each side continues to interpret the provisions of the accords according to its own reading, making their implementation ever more uncertain.