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DRC President Excludes M23 Rebels from National Dialogue
🇨🇭 Switzerland /Conflict & Security

DRC President Excludes M23 Rebels from National Dialogue

From Le Temps · () French

Translated from French and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi has launched a national dialogue aimed at reconciliation, but excluded the M23 rebel group as a political component.
  • Tshisekedi stated that the M23 should engage through the Doha process, while the national dialogue will focus on addressing the country's internal fractures.
  • The dialogue, lasting a maximum of three months, will begin with provincial consultations and culminate in national talks in Kinshasa to adopt a "national pact."
  • The president also reiterated calls for the withdrawal of "foreign forces" from the DRC.

President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo has officially announced the launch of a national dialogue intended to foster reconciliation within the conflict-ridden nation. However, in a televised address, Tshisekedi made it clear that the M23 rebel group, which has been supported by Rwanda, will not participate as a political entity in these discussions. He directed the group to engage through the existing Doha process, indicating that the national dialogue would not supplant those efforts.

The M23 will not participate as a political component.

— Félix TshisekediAnnouncing the exclusion of the M23 from the national dialogue.

The M23 resurgence in eastern DRC since 2021 has led to the group seizing significant territory, exacerbating the country's long history of crises. Despite a ceasefire agreement in Doha in July 2025 and a peace accord signed with Rwanda in Washington in December, violence in the east has persisted. The national dialogue, a long-standing demand from the opposition and civil society, aims to address the deep-seated "fractures" within the country.

The Doha process remains the appropriate framework for dealing with the M23, and the national dialogue will not substitute this process.

— Félix TshisekediExplaining the M23's engagement route.

Tshisekedi outlined that the dialogue process will span a maximum of three months. It will commence with consultations across all provinces, with the recommendations forming the basis for national discussions in the capital, Kinshasa. The ultimate goal is the adoption of a "national pact" to guide the country's institutions. The president also used the address to reiterate his demand for the withdrawal of "foreign forces" from Congolese territory.

A path for reintegration into the national community will remain open to those who, individually, sincerely and verifiably renounce their armed commitment and any form of violence and unequivocally condemn the aggression our country is a victim of.

— Félix TshisekediOffering a possibility for individual rebels to rejoin society.

While excluding the M23 as a group, Tshisekedi indicated that a path for reintegration would remain open to individuals who sincerely renounce armed engagement and violence, and unequivocally condemn the aggression against the DRC. This stance reflects the complex political landscape, where some opposition factions have sought to include M23 representatives or former President Joseph Kabila in dialogue efforts. Kabila himself faces a death sentence in absentia for alleged complicity with armed groups.

The process, with a maximum duration of three months, must begin with consultations in all provinces of the country.

— Félix TshisekediDetailing the timeline and initial phase of the national dialogue.
About this summary

Originally published by Le Temps in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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