Readout of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s US-Africa Policy Working Group Meeting on the Crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Today, the U.S.-Africa Policy Working Group convened its first meeting of the 119th Congress. Members of the Working Group heard from a variety of expert briefers on the escalating human rights and humanitarian catastrophes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly as it relates to the occupation of Goma and the surrounding areas by the M23 militia, and the historical context in which they are occurring.

Congresswoman Omar, the Chair of the Working Group, expressed her ongoing concerns about the effects of the Trump Administration’s dismantling of USAID, illegal mining, and foreign aid freeze as they relate to the urgent humanitarian and global health needs in DRC. She also discussed the political and regional implications of the situation, reaffirming her commitment to a genuine, inclusive peace process and the need for justice and autonomy for the Congolese people.