In a significant diplomatic engagement, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, @FilippoGrandi , met today with the high command of the AFC M23 to discuss the critical issue of the safe and durable return of Congolese and Rwandan refugees.
The high-level talks, held in eastern DRC, focused on establishing the necessary conditions to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of hundreds of thousands of refugees displaced by years of conflict in the region. Key points of discussion included ensuring civilian protection, guaranteeing safe passage and access for humanitarian agencies, and addressing the root causes of displacement to allow for sustainable reintegration.
The meeting underscores the AFC/M23’s increasingly central role in the region’s political and security landscape. Once known primarily as a rebel movement, the group is now being engaged by international bodies as a key stakeholder for achieving stability. A statement from the UNHCR described the discussions as “constructive” and part of ongoing efforts to find peaceful solutions to the protracted crisis in the Great Lakes region.
The context for these talks is complex. The AFC/M23 controls significant territory in North Kivu province, from where many refugees have fled to neighboring countries like Rwanda and Uganda.
Their cooperation is therefore seen as essential for any large-scale organized return. The group has publicly positioned itself as an actor for peace and security, committed to stabilizing the region it now governs.
The international community will be watching closely for concrete actions to follow this dialogue, hoping it marks a turning point toward lasting peace and the safe return home for displaced populations.
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