The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is expecting the UN Human Rights Council to approve an investigation into the crimes committed in Goma and other areas in the east of the country following the “planned invasion by the Rwandan army” that began in January, according to government representatives involved in the upcoming debate.

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In a press conference organized by the Association of Accredited Correspondents at the UN in Geneva (ACANU), Patrick Muyaya, the DRC government spokesperson and Minister of Communication, emphasized that one million Congolese are living under occupation, with their fundamental rights being ignored.

Muyaya highlighted that the militants of the M23 group, allegedly supported by the Rwandan army and special forces, have bombarded displacement camps, resulting in a massacre that has left at least 3,000 dead, including UN peacekeepers from the MONUSCO mission, and countless missing persons.

The spokesperson called on the international community to take decisive action against Rwanda and suggested that sanctions should be considered against the country, given the influence the international community has over a government that relies heavily on foreign aid for its budget.

He also pointed out the contrast between international responses to crises like the one in Ukraine and the ongoing suffering of one million Congolese. He argued that if Rwandan President Paul Kagame is not stopped, he will be held responsible for a genocide.

In the same press conference, Julien Paluku, the Minister of External Trade for the DRC, added that Rwanda’s main objective in the eastern DRC is to maintain control over the region’s vast coltan reserves, which are critical for the global technology industry. He also mentioned the tourist significance of the area, which is home to mountain gorillas and other large felines, claiming that Rwanda seeks to destroy the Congolese ecosystem so that these animals will migrate to Rwanda.

This session on Friday will be the first held by the UN Human Rights Council after the United States and Israel announced their withdrawal from it, having previously been only observers.

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