Demilitarising militias in the Kivus (eastern Democratic Republic of Congo)

The devastating conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which resulted in a tragic humanitarian catastrophe that claimed the lives of four million people, officially came to an end in 2003. Since then the country has been undergoing post-conflict reconstruction. A fragile peace has been achieved with the organising of elections, the withdrawal of foreign troops, and the implementation of the demilitarisation process. However, the eastern regions of the country, specifically North Kivu and South Kivu (the Kivus), continue to be plagued by endemic violence which has had calamitous effects on civilians, including forced displacement, death, economic and physical insecurity, and sexual violence. The main spoilers to the peace process, and