The United Nations(UN) has announced that critical investigations into suspected human rights violations and potential war crimes in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are currently stalled due to a severe funding crisis.
In a letter reviewed by Reuters news agency, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) attributes this cash crunch to the failure of some countries to fully meet their financial contributions, a problem exacerbated by cuts in foreign aid from the United States.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has previously stated that all major parties involved in the conflict—the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels, Congolese troops, and their allied militias—have reportedly committed human rights abuses in the region.
Speaking last week, Türk highlighted alarming findings from his office’s investigations and analysis, which revealed “an apparent total disregard for the protection of civilians during and after military operations.” Preliminary findings have detailed harrowing incidents, including summary executions and “horrific sexual violence,” alongside other serious rights violations in North and South Kivu provinces. Disturbingly, nearly 40 percent of survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in North and South Kivu are children.
Türk stressed the dire consequences of the financial shortfall, stating that the Commission cannot deliver results “until and unless funding is made available.” He further warned that both financial and staffing constraints are “critically impeding” the vital investigative work and expressed alarm at the broader impact of budget cuts on measures designed to protect human rights.
The OHCHR informed Reuters that it is committed to doing “everything possible” to secure regular budget funds as early as 2026 to officially launch the Commission. Evidence collected by such a Commission of Inquiry can be crucial, as it can be utilised in pre-trial investigations by international tribunals like the International Criminal Court.
