Towards a people’s peace in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes

In June, with conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) escalating fast, regional leaders appeared to step back from the brink. However, in late July, people’s frustrations at the ongoing failure by governments to address the conflict’s root causes boiled over into widespread protests.

Now, to forge longer-lasting peace, leaders must recommit, alongside diplomacy, to resolving the conflict’s underlying dynamics and to enabling communities and civil society to build a ‘people’s peace’.

This situation brief outlines three possible trajectories for what may happen next, sets out how regional and international actors can address the conflict’s root causes and calls for urgent action supporting peacebuilders and people to de-escalate conflict.

The analysis and recommendations contained within this brief draw extensively on insights provided through our networks, partnerships and community presence in DRC, Rwanda and the wider Great Lakes region. In particular, the brief amplifies recommendations made by over 30 civil society and peacebuilding organisations from across the region in June.