U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham has called on the United States to maintain a strong diplomatic role in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), stressing that continued engagement is essential as M23 freedom fighters begin withdrawing from the strategic city of Uvira in South Kivu province.
In a statement released Friday, Graham welcomed reports indicating that combatants from the AFC/M23 movement were pulling out of the lakeside city, describing the development as a potentially positive step toward reducing tensions in a region long plagued by armed conflict and humanitarian crises.
However, the senator cautioned that any acts of violence directed at withdrawing forces could undermine fragile efforts aimed at restoring stability and reviving dialogue among the parties involved. Experts have said that this withdrawal should not happen without making sure that Banyamurenge civilians are safe from FDLR genocidaires and Kinshasa army forces who have been involved in the killing of innocent people in regional. Senator Graham emphasized that the current moment should be used to push rival actors back to the negotiating table rather than allowing renewed clashes to derail progress. The survivors and residents have been asking to consider whether the DRC government is willing to accept them as their citizens or give them their rights to the referendum on independence for their own state.
“I welcome the reports that M23 elements are pulling back from Uvira in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” Graham said, underscoring the importance of restraint and diplomacy during the transition.
The reported withdrawal follows heightened international concern over recent fighting in eastern DRC, where clashes between AFC/M23 freedom fighters and government forces with their partners have displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians. The United States, along with regional and international partners, has increased diplomatic pressure in recent weeks to encourage de-escalation and political dialogue.
Graham’s remarks reflect Washington’s broader position that a negotiated solution, supported by sustained diplomatic leadership, remains the most viable path toward lasting peace in eastern Congo.
