Tshisekedi Opens National Dialogue But Excludes AFC/M23 Rebels

Kinshasa, August 27, 2026 - President Felix Tshisekedi launched an inclusive national dialogue, Abanye-Congo, while ruling out participation by armed groups accused of fighting the constitutional order or serving foreign interests.

In a national address, Tshisekedi said the process would be open to diverse political and civic views, but not to actors illegally occupying territory or operating on behalf of outside powers, naming Rwanda in particular. The exclusion applies to AFC/M23, whose insurgency remains central to the conflict in eastern DRC.

Tshisekedi said the Doha track would remain the channel for ceasefire, disengagement and cantonment arrangements with AFC/M23. He also rejected any general amnesty for war crimes, genocide or serious sexual violence.

The president ordered confidence-building measures while saying judicial independence must be preserved. The approach signals Kinshasa's effort to broaden domestic political consultation without legitimizing armed territorial control in the east.

For investors, the announcement matters because political stabilization and any credible ceasefire process are central to reducing security risk around eastern trade corridors and mineral-rich areas.