The United Nations Security Council has imposed sanctions on Corneille Naanga, coordinator of the rebel movement AFC/M23, along with several other commanders from armed factions operating in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The move comes as the country holds the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for July.

In addition to Naanga, the sanctions target John Imani Nzenze (AFC/M23 intelligence chief), Charles Sematama (military leader of the Twirwaneho armed group), Gustave Kubwayo (FDLR commander), Sébastien Kimenyi (FDLR intelligence officer), and Muhammed Lumisa (ADF commander).

The AFC/M23 has dismissed the measures as “selective” and “discriminatory”, arguing that the group remains engaged in peace processes despite the sanctions.

Why now? The timing of these sanctions

Political analysts suggest the timing is deliberate. Professor Bob Kabamba, a lecturer at the University of Liège in Belgium, warns that isolating the AFC/M23 could undermine ongoing peace efforts.

“It will be challenging for the UN to continue working with the AFC/M23 on peace implementation while enforcing sanctions against its leadership. The UN mission has repeatedly collaborated with the group, and this creates a contradiction in its approach,” he explains.

Professor Julien Mahatma Tazi, an international relations expert at the University of Kinshasa, agrees, emphasizing the strategic timing of the sanctions.

“The DRC’s international visibility as Security Council president has kept the eastern crisis at the forefront of global diplomacy. The UN appears to be signaling that negotiations do not absolve actors accused of fueling conflict from accountability. These sanctions aim to increase pressure on armed group leaders while supporting diplomatic efforts,” he states.

Both experts agree that the sanctions could weaken the international legitimacy of armed group leaders, restrict their movement, and potentially cut off financial resources if states enforce the measures strictly.

Civil society urges swift enforcement

Local civil society leaders in rebel-held areas express growing frustration over the lack of enforcement of previous sanctions. Fiston Misona, president of the Walikale Civil Society in North Kivu, voices these concerns.

“Every time sanctions are imposed, they are rarely enforced as required. We urge the UN to ensure these measures are applied rigorously to all individuals responsible for human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” he demands.

This is not the first time Corneille Naanga has faced sanctions—he has previously been targeted by the United States twice and once by the European Union.