The opposition in the Democratic Republic of Congo has called on the United Nations to apply pressure on President Félix Tshisekedi during an ongoing visit by UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix. This visit, which started on February 9, adds to Lacroix's series of trips to the country since 2023, underlining the serious political and security crisis particularly in the eastern regions where M23 rebels have taken control, highlighting the government's struggles in Kinshasa to maintain order.

During the first day of Lacroix's visit to Kinshasa, he met with representatives from major opposition parties who provided their analysis of the deteriorating political and security situation. They called for urgent actions from the president to alleviate political tension and emphasized the inadequacy of international initiatives, such as those from Doha and Washington, in addressing the root causes of the crisis. Jean-Baptiste Kacukwa, the Vice President of the 'Esidie' party, highlighted the necessity for a comprehensive national dialogue alongside greater pressure on the M23 movement.

The opposition also urged immediate intervention by the MONUSCO mission in the city of Oviri to enforce a ceasefire, with a plea for replicating this example across other threatened regions. The escalation of violence and political unrest in eastern Congo presents a significant challenge to the Tshisekedi government, with the opposition now seeking to leverage international influence in their demand for change and stabilizing the situation.