Earlier in 2025, the group expanded its presence in the volatile eastern region, capturing strategic cities such as Goma and Bukavu. The escalation heightened tensions with President Felix Tshisekedi's administration, leading to bloody clashes.
In a year-end statement issued from Goma on Wednesday, December 31, AFC/M23 political coordinator Corneille Nangaa highlighted conditions in territories under the group's administration, noting that displaced persons and refugees are returning home, children have resumed schooling, and hospitals are operating normally.
Additionally, Nangaa noted that agriculture and local commerce are gradually resuming, signalling a recovery in the region's social and economic life.
'In liberated territories, the population now lives in peace, dignity, and regained security. The young administration is settling in. Justice is now in the process of revitalisation,' Nangaa stated.
While emphasising the improvements, AFC/M23 strongly criticised the Kinshasa government for failing to honour Doha ceasefire agreements and for blocking the release of prisoners. Nangaa accused the government of waging attacks on civilians and engaging in ethnic-targeted violence against Congolese Tutsi communities.
'The Kinshasa regime has demonstrated that the agreements were only a smokescreen for it to rearm and reorganise,' he said, also condemning arbitrary arrests and purges within the army.
The statement framed the ongoing crisis as a domestic issue, warning against externalising it and blaming governance failures in Kinshasa for insecurity, corruption, tribalism, and poverty. AFC/M23 called for a 'true, just, and lasting peace' based on accountability and an end to impunity.
Looking ahead, the movement said 2026 would focus on consolidating efforts to restore liberty, justice, and state institutions in the areas it controls. Nangaa urged all Congolese to remain united, saying, 'The legitimacy and strength of our struggle depend on our unity, which will become the foundation of a better future.'
Nangaa concluded by urging Congolese citizens to stand united and work toward a dignified and prosperous future in 2026.
"2026 will be a year of consolidating our fight for liberty, justice, peace, and the rebuilding of the state," he said.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
