UN sees 'window of opportunity' for peace in eastern DR Congo

A senior UN official said Tuesday there is a "window of opportunity" for peace in the eastern DR Congo, a region rich in minerals and plagued by decades of conflict. Several parties including the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group and the Congolese army have clashed in the territory, prompting a series of international diplomacy efforts. Huang Xia, the UN special envoy for the impacted Great Lakes Region, told the Security Council that both US- and Qatar-led peace processes have achieved "notable progress." However, "despite this sustained diplomatic effort, the security and humanitarian situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has continued to worsen." Huang stressed the "urgency of seizing the window of opportunity, which is currently offered by the increased alignment of peace efforts." "Such a window does not remain open indefinitely," he added.