WCC NEWS: Peace laureate Dr Denis Mukwege advocates for peace in Democratic Republic of Congo

Dr Denis Mukwege, renowned gynaecologist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, visited Germany recently. He shared about the tremendous suffering in east Democratic Republic of Congo and highlighted that sexual violence is used as a weapon of war, now and for more than 30 years.  Dr Denis Mukwege speeking at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Photo: Gloriouspics – Glorianne Matumona 05 March 2026 He alluded to the reasons for the ongoing conflict, emphasizing that these are not based on ethnic or religious differences, but clearly on economic interests due to the richness of minerals, namely coltan, wolfram, cobalt, as well as gold that are extracted, often uncontrolled and under precarious conditions.  As these minerals are essential for the global digital transformation, this conflict also implicates the global community. He highlighted how the situation has deteriorated since January 2025, when the rebel group M23, backed by Rwanda, took over the cities of Goma and Bukavu and parts of the provinces North and South Kivu, creating access to important mining areas. The UN Security Council unanimously condemned this in UN Declaration 2773 in February 2025, but this declaration has not been followed. In fact, many peace accords have been formulated in the past and not followed.  Mukwege demanded that the international community facilitate a peace process that includes all stakeholders including affected communities but also businesses as well as governments and neighbouring countries implicated in the war based on the Addis peace accord of 2013.  Meeting with Bishop Kohlgraf in Mainz, he also alluded to the important role of the church both in the Democratic Republic of Congo and on a global level. Churches have to use their prophetic voices and advocate for peace. On his visit, Mukwege was accompanied by Dr G. Schneider, member of the WCC Commission of the Churches on Health and Healing. She, together with representatives from Bistum Mainz, Pax Christi, regional government, and the university organized a lecture and panel discussion at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz that attracted many visitors, including a large number of Congolese people living in the diaspora.  Mukwege used the forum to explain the situation, especially for women and children who are suffering tremendously and demanded that it is time not to ignore this forgotten conflict, but to take action towards peace.  Dr Christelle Beti, director of the German-Congolese Youth Institute, in response to him supported his demand for more responsibility from high-income countries who have been exploiting her home country for more than 200 years.  The panel discussion highlighted the complexity of the crisis but underlined the importance of a concerted effort for peace and justice. He summarized his demands with a quote of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, said when Bonhoeffer was imprisoned in 1945: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not consider us innocent. Not speaking is speaking. Not acting is acting.”  “We need to support Dr Mukwege in his fight for peace and justice – and churches and civil society must play their role in taking this request forward,” said Schneider. See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland