Briefing note for HDP actors in Mwenga (July 2025)

The Mwenga territory, located in South Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is currently experiencing a period of great security and humanitarian instability. Rich in mineral resources, particularly gold, Mwenga is the subject of much covetousness, which fuels tensions. The situation in the Mwenga territory is currently marked by armed conflicts, disputes over mining operations, boundary disputes between administrative entities, conflicts over traditional authority, and tensions between herders and farmers. The activities of armed groups and communal tensions are consequences of the various conflicts mentioned. Other consequences include abuses and violence against civilians—such as rape, mass population displacements, kidnappings, looting, and obstacles to safe physical access to fields and local markets.