Reporting targeted attacks on the Christian community and the impact of permanent destabilization of armed groups led to urgent debate within the European Parliament and a new commitment from the EU to support peace and security in the region.
Addressing the entire European Parliament, European Commission Vice President Kaja Karas highlighted the ongoing conflict and “unacceptable attacks on the Rwandan-backed M23 armed groups.” While he is focusing on the potential reduction in the intensity of this particular conflict and hoping that “the ceasefire and a reliable peace process may resume,” Karas emphasized that the overall violence in the Eastern DRC will not cease.
Although Karas acknowledged that the area suffered from many armed groups that had caused deadly violence responsible for serious human rights abuses, she chose the Allied Democrat Forces (ADF), which is affiliated with the Islamic State.
“This group has in the past argued for attacks on the Christian community because of their faith,” Karas said. “But they target all civilians with murder, lure, and looting.”
In 2023, the ADF was the most killing armed group in the DRC, with more than 1,000 casualties, according to the DRC’s United Nations Joint Human Rights Office. In the second half of 2024 alone, the ADF was in charge of the deaths of more than 650 civilians in North Kivu and Ituri.
In a motion to resolve, entitled “Target attacks against Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: defending religious freedom and security,” the European Parliament highlighted the committee’s concerns, and the ADF reportedly carried out a continuous indiscriminate attack on civilians in the North Kivu and Ituri.
Recognizing that such violence affects all communities, the resolution states, “most casualties are Christians, and 95% of the population is Christian.
The European Union, which said the resolution stated, pursued deterrent measures such as diplomatic intervention and sanctions targeting those responsible for serious human rights abuses and abuse. The EU Parliament welcomed the Council’s decision of 17 March 2025 to impose restrictive measures on the actions that constitute serious human rights abuses and abuse in the DRC and the one entity responsible for maintaining the armed conflict, instability and instability of the DRC and exploitation of armed conflicts through illegal exploitation or trade in natural resources.
The resolution also reflects concerns by a group of UN experts who estimated 3,000-4,000 Rwandan Army troops were on the DRC territory, acknowledging that the deployment of the Rwandan Defence Force violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC, and violates the direction of the M23 operation over the de facto management of Rwandan and the direction of the M23 operation.
As a result, the European Parliament called on the Commission to suspend EU-RWANDA’s memorandum on sustainable raw material value chains, and halted plans to support Rwandan mining projects and trade embargoes on all minerals imported from Rwanda to the EU. Furthermore, the resolution proposed a ban on exporting arms from the EU to Rwanda and further suspension of military and security support to Rwanda “until the integrity of the DRC’s territory is restored.”
These measures add a resolution to “complete existing UN sanctions” and aim to “strengthen the security and law enforcement of the DRC so that it can better protect its population, including armed groups.” He also said the EU is actively working on initiatives that will help tackle extremism and hate speech.
The EU parliament called for a quick resumption of negotiations within the Luanda Process, urging all aspects to find lasting, peaceful and political solutions, and to fully respect their involvement within the Luanda Process. The EU was called “playing an active role in diplomatic efforts to escalate conflicts, defending a new commitment to immediate ceasefires and dialogue, advocating for the protection of the core of negotiations, particularly women and children.”
Continuing combat and artillery fires have severely restricted the provision of humanitarian assistance to those in need, especially around Goma. The resolution called on all neighbouring countries, particularly Rwanda, to promote humanitarian equipment and access to personnel, including the reopening of Goma Airport and the border.
“I think it’s important that all the violations and abuses are really investigated,” Karas said.
