KINSHASA / GOMA — As tensions in eastern Congo escalate, the international response to violence this week laid bare a glaring double standard: the United Nations peacekeeping mission MONUSCOand key international actors have publicly condemned the killing of humanitarian workers, but have stopped short of explicitly denouncing the Kinshasa government for actions that may have caused those deaths.
On Wednesday, March 11, 2026, a drone strike in Goma killed three people, including a UNICEF staff member. In its statement, MONUSCO described the attack as “deeply concerning”, expressed condolences to the families of those killed, and reiterated that attacks on humanitarian personnel are unacceptable under international law.
However, the statement notably did not directly call out the Congolese government as responsible, even as accusations circulate that the strike came from DR Congo Army and aligned forces.
MONUSCO’s wording urging “all parties to respect humanitarian law” is diplomatic but weak. It stops short of naming the Congolese state as a perpetrator or demanding accountability. For many observers this is not a neutral choice but a political one.
In contrast, international governments and institutions have historically been quick to condemn the AFC/M23 rebel group often within hours of alleged abuses. Western countries and regional bodies have publicly denounced M23’s cease‑fire violations, imposed sanctions, and tied condemnation to aid and diplomatic pressure.
Meanwhile, when the Congolese government’s actions are implicated even in the killing of UNICEF personnel, who are among the most protected categories of civilians under international law the response remains cautious and vague.
Manzi Willy, deputy governor in North Kivu for the M23 administration, criticized this inconsistency on X, saying: “M23 has demonstrated to the international community a commitment that goes beyond what many believed possible. The movement has respected the ceasefire and released around 7,000 prisoners of war as a gesture of goodwill.”
“Instead of showing a genuine willingness to promote peace, President Félix Tshisekedi has chosen a path that continues to spill the blood of the Congolese population and has now even targeted humanitarian workers. One cannot help but wonder how long this situation can continue. It has been some time since we last heard him screamingfor help, but a day will come when his constant screaming for help will no longer be heard, as those who boldens him are witnesses of his barbarity.” He said
The vice-governor went to on to condemn international community for their silence and hypocrisy: “Drones just bombed Goma, and yet the blood sucker in Kinshasa is shielded from accountability. This level of recklessness on the part of Kinshasa can’t continue to have such immunity.”
“The level of hypocrisy from international community, where Tshisekedi can continue to pound the population while the other side is told to observe a cease-fire?” He wrote through X.
UNICEF’s leadership was unequivocal. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said on X that the organisation was “devastated and outraged” by Buisset’s killing and stressed that “civilians, including aid workers, must never be targeted.”
French President Emmanuel Macron also took to X to express his condolences and urge respect for international humanitarian law, saying: “I call for respect for humanitarian law and for the personnel on the ground who are committed to saving lives.” but fails to condemn the perpetrators.
Belgium’s deputy prime minister Maxime Pivot also weighed on the matter saying through X and said that “The drone attack in Goma this morning claimed the lives of a humanitarian worker and several civilians.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident we are seeing a multiplication of these types of attacks, in violation of the ceasefire, carried out by all parties recently.”
“I firmly condemn this indiscriminate violence, without exception.The weapons must fall silent. Make way for negotiation.The protection of humanitarians who dedicate their lives to the most vulnerable is an absolute imperative. My sincere condolences to the families of the victims.” He said without pointing to the perpetrators
Bertrand Bisimwa, the current president of M23 and the coordinator of AFC/M23 also pointed out the international community double standards on condemnation. “This double standard treatment regarding ceasefire violations undermines the peace process.”
“Kinshasa has never been held solely accountable for its own ambitions; the tendency is always to involve the AFC/M23.
Is it politico-economic interests that dictate these condemnations?” He replied Maxime Pivot the foreign affairs minister of Belgium.
The frustration runs deeper because this is not an isolated incident. On February 24, 2026, the Congolese army’s drone strike near Rubaya killed Lt. Col. Willy Ngoma, the military spokesperson for M23. Ngoma was widely known for regularly briefing journalists and providing communications on rebel positions; his death raised urgent questions about the legality of state drone use and the lack of independent investigations.
Yet again, the international response was muted expressions of concern over violence but no clear diplomatic pressure on Kinshasa, who repeatedly violates Washington accords.
The result is a perception among analysts, regional actors, and affected communities that the international system applies a different standard based on political convenience, not legal consistency. Civilians in eastern Congo including humanitarian workers, displaced families, and community leaders are paying the price for that inconsistency.
When global institutions fail to call out a state actor directly for violence that kills protected personnel, it emboldens impunity. And until those same institutions are willing to speak plainly not just offer generic condemnations the conflict in eastern Congo will continue playing out against a backdrop of selective accountability.
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