Mediation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – March 2023
In consultation with Pope Francis and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Antonio Guterres,
a delegation of Leaders for Peace, led by Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, traveled to Kinshasa in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo for an official mission aimed at elaborating a roadmap for possible
crisis exit strategies, particularly focusing on the situation in the eastern part of the country. The Leaders
for Peace were mobilized on the ground by several collaborators, notably Dr. and Nobel Peace Prize
laureate, Mr. Denis Mukwege, who has been particularly committed to combating violence and
mutilations against women in this endless war amidst a challenging electoral period.
Pope Francis, during an audience granted to a delegation of Leaders for Peace, urged for mobilization in
the face of the suffering of the Congolese population.
In parallel with His Holiness’s encouragement, the Secretary-General of the United Nations
recommended to the Leaders for Peace, during their annual visit to New York, to intervene in order to
further mobilize the international community regarding the conflict prevailing in the eastern part of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, where despite the crimes committed, passivity persists.
The delegation of Leaders for Peace during this mediation mission had three main objectives:
- To promote the holding of free and transparent presidential elections in a peaceful climate by December 2023.
- To facilitate the establishment of transitional justice: it is crucial to understand that peace cannot be achieved without justice. Justice is the essential lever to end violence and enable peaceful coexistence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- To ensure the security of the population in the event of the departure of MONUSCO (United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo).