African governments and armed groups: Paths to peace amid turmoil

The United Nations has welcomed new developments involving African governments and armed groups, signaling cautious progress in two of the continent’s most fragile conflict zones.

Speaking at UN Headquarters on Wednesday, Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq announced that two armed groups in the Central African Republic (CAR) have rejoined the 2019 Political Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation. The groups—Return, Reclamation and Rehabilitation (3R) and Unité pour la Paix en Centrafrique (UPC)—had previously disengaged from the deal, but are now recommitting to its terms.

Valentine Rugwabiza, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for CAR, praised the move, while UN officials reiterated that the political agreement remains the only credible path to achieving lasting peace in the country. The UN peacekeeping mission, MINUSCA, continues to monitor the situation closely.

Meanwhile in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO has begun a significant humanitarian operation to relocate several hundred unarmed Congolese Armed Forces personnel, national police, and their dependents from MONUSCO facilities in Goma to the capital, Kinshasa. The move comes after the M23 rebel group took control of Goma in late January, forcing these individuals to seek refuge at UN bases.

“This transport operation is being conducted with the full consent of those involved and under the protection of the Geneva Conventions,” Haq said, emphasizing the neutral role of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is facilitating the process with MONUSCO’s logistical support.

Over the past three months, MONUSCO has provided continuous protection to the disarmed personnel in accordance with UN regulations. The safe transfer to Kinshasa represents a critical step in restoring national authority and ensuring the well-being of those caught in the crossfire of conflict.

As tensions persist across parts of Central and East Africa, the UN remains committed to supporting dialogue, upholding international humanitarian law, and backing peace agreements as essential tools for stability.