As mediators look for a realistic path to peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), one thing should be clear from the start: any security arrangement must actually reduce violence, rebuild trust among communities, and respect Congolese sovereignty.
Allowing Burundi to redeploy troops does the opposite. Instead of calming the situation, it risks making an already fragile conflict even worse.
The track record of Burundian troop deployments is deeply troubling. Rather than supporting peace, their presence has encouraged Kinshasa to stall the Doha process, operating under the belief that heavy military backing could help reclaim lost territory by force.
At the same time, it has enabled a devastating blockade on Banyamulenge communities, leading to widespread hunger and suffering. This was not a security strategy, but a deliberate plan of extermination targeting Congolese Tutsi. In short, Burundi’s involvement has brought no meaningful progress toward peace; it has only heightened tensions and more violent confrontations.
There is also a broader regional dimension to consider. Eastern DRC is already crowded with armed actors, including the genocidal FDLR, local militias, and Congolese forces themselves. Reintroducing Burundian troops, especially in support of groups openly hostile to Rwanda, adds yet another volatile element to an already complex and dangerous landscape. If mediators are serious about de-escalation, they should be working to simplify the security environment, not multiply armed forces with aggressive and destabilizing agendas.
The humanitarian consequences are impossible to ignore. Civil society groups and local communities have repeatedly raised alarms about abuses linked to Burundian forces, including arbitrary arrests, sexual violence, kidnappings, intimidation, and forced displacement. These crimes have spread fear among civilians. And without the trust of local populations, no peace process can succeed. Redeployments that people experience as imposed or threatening are far more likely to inflame the conflict than resolve it.
If peace is truly the goal, mediators should pursue different options: strong and credible monitoring mechanisms, a genuinely neutral regional force with a clear mandate to protect civilians, and sustained diplomatic pressure on key spoilers, including authorities in Kinshasa. Concrete confidence-building steps, such as real ceasefires and the release of prisoners linked to the AFC/M23, would do far more to stabilize the situation.
DRC does not need Burundi’s redeployment. On the contrary, what it needs is a peace framework built on Congolese ownership, reduced external interference, and the protection of civilians above all else.