EU Pushes Congolese Rebels to Unlock Aid for Millions of Civilians
Lahbib met with senior figures of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) — a rebel coalition operating in eastern Congo that encompasses M23 fighters — in Goma, as part of a broader regional tour that also took her to Rwanda and Burundi.
The visit was aimed at evaluating humanitarian conditions on the ground and pressing all warring parties to guarantee unimpeded aid access to affected populations.
"I came to Goma with a humanitarian mandate. I had a frank and constructive meeting with representatives of AFC/M23 to press for humanitarian access for millions of civilians in eastern DRC. Aid must reach those in need without delay, through secure humanitarian corridors," Lahbib told reporters. "International Humanitarian Law must be respected to protect civilians. This is a shared responsibility across the region. I conveyed this message in Kinshasa, Bujumbura and Kigali. I received commitments from all parties I met and I hope that these commitments will be implemented so that this mission bears fruit."
Alongside her diplomatic push, the EU announced it is mobilizing €81.2 million in humanitarian assistance across the Great Lakes region in connection with Lahbib's visit.
Burundi's armed forces are reportedly deployed inside Congo, fighting alongside government troops against M23 rebels — a conflict that has sent thousands of Congolese refugees fleeing across the border into Burundi since December 2025.
The UN classifies Congo as one of the most acute humanitarian crises globally, driven by the relentless persistence of armed conflict and the massive displacement of civilian populations.
The M23 — allegedly backed by Rwanda according to the UN and multiple Western governments — has consolidated control over significant swaths of eastern Congo, including the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu, both of which fell under rebel control early in 2025. Rwanda has categorically denied all allegations of involvement.
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