Prospects for Peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Great Lakes Region

What is the best best way forward to end the horrific violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo? Over the last two decades, over 5 million people have been killed, hundreds of thousands more displaced. There have been brutal killings, continued recruitment and conscription of child soldiers, and horrendous acts of sexual violence against women and girls. The M23 rebellion was just the latest iteration of a long conflict that has stalled economic development and destroyed the social fabric of communities in eastern Congo. The international group of envoys, including the former Senator, Russ Feingold, as well as regional players like Uganda, have made efforts to promote political reconciliation in the DRC. The latest U.N. group of experts report documented evidence of continued recruitment by the M23 and the regional threat posed by the FDLR, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, by Kata Katanga, by various Mai-Mai militias and by dozens of other groups.