Cardinal Ambongo Calls for Global Attention to Congo's “forgotten war” at International Peace Meeting

“This war is a forgotten war. In the international press, in global media, these conflicts are often seen as crises of secondary importance compared to other so-called high-intensity wars,” he lamented.

The Local Ordinary of Kinshasa Archdiocese, who doubles as the President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) further said it is “unjust to downplay the crisis in Congo”, noting that the crisis does not receive the same level of media attention as conflicts in other parts of the world.

“There are deaths. There is suffering. But we do not rank conflicts by their level of intensity. Every conflict is a tragedy,” he said pointing to the fact that the conflicts in Congo, despite being labeled as “low-intensity” by some international observers, have caused more deaths and displacement than many other wars in recent memory. 

Cardinal Ambongo spoke of the “humanitarian scandal” unfolding in places like Goma and the eastern Congo, where the scale of suffering is “almost unimaginable”, yet the global community largely “remains indifferent.”

He highlighted the economic motivations behind the conflict in the Central African nation, shedding light on an often-overlooked aspect of the crisis. 

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The Congolese member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (OFM Cap) explained that the war in eastern Congo is not merely about ethnic rivalries or territorial disputes, as it is frequently portrayed, but is instead rooted in the exploitation of the region’s vast natural resources. 

“It is an economic war. A war unleashed by an insatiable greed for raw materials and money, which feeds an armed economy that demands instability and corruption,” Cardinal Ambongo said during the September 22-24 conference themed “Imagine Peace.”

Making reference to Pope Francis during his Apostolic Visit to DRC in 2023,  the Cardinal said, “This is a conflict that forces millions of people to leave their homes, causes serious human rights violations, disintegrates the socio-economic fabric, and inflicts injuries that are difficult to heal. These are partisan struggles where ethnic, territorial, and group dynamics intermingle, driven by an economy of violence.” 

He added, “The reality of the Congolese conflict is clearly expressed here. There are economic reasons behind these conflicts, hidden behind false narratives of ethnic or tribal wars.”

He said the real motive of war in the African country is the exploitation of the country’s mineral wealth, adding that it is the people “paying the price.”

Cardinal Ambongo recounted how the conflict has created a self-perpetuating cycle of violence that he said is now embedded in the Congolese society.

“War has become a business. Armed groups recruit young people—many of them children—offering them a salary and no future beyond fighting. Children in eastern Congo are forced into a life of violence, denied the opportunity to dream of a different future,” he lamented.

He continued, “Violence acts like a virus, spreading rapidly and destroying the social fabric of our communities.”

He thanked international organizations, particularly the Sant’Egidio Community, for their ongoing support for refugees and displaced persons in Goma and other parts of eastern Congo.

Cardinal Ambongo emphasized that much more needs to be done. The Cardinal urged world leaders, peace advocates, and the global community at large to stop turning a blind eye to the horrors in Congo and to take meaningful steps toward peace.

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“The conflict in Congo must not remain invisible. This is a war that has devastated millions of lives. The time for silence is over. We must imagine peace, but we must also act to bring it about. We cannot afford to look away any longer,” he said.

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.