Tshisekedi Turns Away from Doha Mediation, Pushes for New Luanda Talks

President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is seeking to relaunch peace talks in Luanda, while continuing to distance himself from the Qatari-led mediation process initiated in early 2025. Tshisekedi last traveled to Luanda on December 14, 2025, where he held brief discussions with Angolan President João Lourenço on efforts to restore peace in eastern DRC. The Luanda framework, led by Lourenço, has been stalled since October 2024, when the Congolese government delegation refused to engage in direct dialogue with the AFC/M23 coalition. The paralysis of the Luanda process coincided with President Lourenço assuming the chairmanship of the African Union (AU). During this period, mediation efforts shifted toward Washington and Doha, though with limited progress. Lourenço is expected to step down from the AU presidency during the AU General Assembly on February 15, 2026, to be replaced by Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye, potentially freeing him to re-engage fully in mediation efforts. On January 5, 2026, President Tshisekedi again visited Angola to discuss security developments in eastern DRC. However, the agenda reportedly mirrored discussions already held under the Doha and Washington initiatives. Although the Congolese presidency maintains that Tshisekedi still formally supports the Doha process, his actions suggest otherwise. The DRC recently declined to send representatives to two meetings organized by Qatar, which were aimed at assessing the implementation of the ceasefire agreement. Meanwhile, regional tensions around mediation have intensified. Burundi’s foreign minister has publicly accused Qatar of using its diplomatic influence to block potential international sanctions against Rwanda-claims that have been repeatedly denied. Sources in Kinshasa indicate that Tshisekedi has formally asked President Lourenço to initiate a new round of talks in Luanda, a request the Angolan leader has reportedly accepted. The proposed talks would involve a broad range of Congolese stakeholders, including members of the ruling coalition, political opposition figures, armed groups such as AFC/M23, religious leaders, and civil society representatives. If launched, the new Luanda talks are expected to resemble the inclusive national dialogue formats previously held in Nairobi, as well as those advocated by religious leaders, particularly the Catholic and Anglican churches. However, for the AFC/M23, the Luanda framework may lack the leverage of the Doha process. The group argues that broader national dialogues tend to overlook specific issues directly affecting them, such as the release of hundreds of their detained members, which they consider central to any lasting agreement. As diplomatic maneuvering continues, uncertainty remains over which mediation track-Luanda, Doha, or another format-will ultimately shape the future of peace efforts in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.