Armed conflict has been raging in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since January 2025, raising many questions about peace, war and geopolitics. The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Centre for Geopolitical Security and Strategy and Afrocentric Governance of Public Affairs, in collaboration with the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), analysed the geopolitical and conflict dynamics unfolding in the DRC.
Speakers at the seminar, held at the ISS’s offices in Pretoria, discussed the factors underlying the conflict, unpacked some undermining economic, political, security and social factors and explored options for peace, stability, and security in the DRC.
Moderator Ottilia Maunganidze, head of special projects at ISS, steered the ship, outlining the geopolitical landscape and ongoing conflict in the DRC and the need for continental actors to contribute to lasting solutions for the people of DRC and the continent.
Prof Dumi Moyo, executive dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the NWU, during his keynote address, thanked the ISS for hosting this maiden public engagement with the NWU’s newly established Centre for Geopolitics, Security and Strategy.
Robust academic capabilities and policy-relevant expertise
“The NWU brings robust academic and analytical capabilities rooted in African geopolitical perspectives, while the ISS offers a decade of policy-relevant expertise, operational knowledge and access to a continent-wide and international network of security practitioners and policy makers,” Prof Moyo said. “Together, the two institutions offer a comprehensive platform for meaningful engagement on one of the most consequential geopolitical developments on the continent.”
Antonette Bruther, ISS director of operations and human resources at the ISS, also expressed appreciation for the partnership with the NWU, which has led to the establishment of the Postgraduate Diploma in Geopolitics, aimed at equipping law enforcement professionals and practitioners with tools to navigate today’s conflict security landscape.
“This partnership has taken a step forward with the establishment of the Centre for Geopolitics, Security and Strategy at the NWU, an initiative that ISS is proud to support and believes will become a cornerstone for research and policy engagements on the continent,” she said.
The panellists participating in the seminar included Dr Claude Kabemba, executive director of Southern Africa Resource Watch, Dr Michael Mugah, ISS researcher in Nairobi, and Brigadier-General Peter Sereko, operational expert in missions of the South African National Defence Force.
Since January 2025, the eastern DRC has witnessed a sharp escalation in violence, with the M23 rebel group capturing key cities such as Goma and Bukavu by February. These areas, rich in mineral resources, have become flashpoints in a conflict that has triggered a humanitarian crisis in the Great Lakes region.
Uncertainties abound as tensions remain
The timing of the seminar was opportune. The DRC stands at the centre of a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape where armed conflict and resource governance issues intersect with regional and global security imperatives. The role of the M23 rebel group and subsequent regional military interventions have intensified the tensions between the DRC and Rwanda and also drawn in regional bodies such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Committee, the European Union and the United States.
The seminar explored the interplay between national interests and regional rivalries that continue to challenge peace efforts. Experts discussed the root causes of the conflict and explored viable pathways toward sustainable peace.
Currently, a fragile ceasefire exists but concerns remain over whether it will hold and what roles neighbouring countries, including Rwanda and Uganda, will play in shaping the trajectory of the conflict.
The seminar provided a crucial platform for policymakers, researchers and civil society representatives to engage with the challenges of securing lasting peace in the eastern DRC, a region whose stability is vital for the entire Great Lakes area. As the conflicts continue, stakeholders who attended the first seminar have requested further discussions of this kind until the conflict is resolved.
