MILITARY LEADERSHIP AND SOCIAL RESILIENCE IN EASTERN DRC

Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been, for several decades, the epicenter of major security crises with regional repercussions. Marked by persistent armed conflicts, the proliferation of non-state armed groups, cross-border interference, and chronic institutional fragility, this region remains confronted with structural instability. According to the UN (2021), more than 120 armed groups are active in the provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri, making the restoration of state authority and peace consolidation difficult. In this climate of tension, the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), long perceived as ineffective, undisciplined, and sometimes complicit in certain abuses, struggle to embody a legitimate and credible protective force in the eyes of the population.