Tshisekedi excludes M23 rebels from national dialogue

President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo has firmly stated that armed groups actively engaged in conflict against the nation's constitutional order will not be permitted to participate in the upcoming inclusive national dialogue. In a national address on Thursday, August 27, 2026, Tshisekedi clarified the parameters of the dialogue he initiated, drawing a clear line between political dissent and armed rebellion.

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No one can claim to sit at the nation's table while taking up arms against it.

"No one can claim to sit at the nation's table while taking up arms against it," Tshisekedi declared. He assured that exclusion from the dialogue would not be based on personal opinions, political beliefs, regional background, language, ethnicity, or religion. However, he stressed that the act of bearing arms against the state disqualifies any individual or group from participating in peace talks. "No military conquest can be converted into political legitimacy," he asserted, emphasizing that democratic processes, not armed force, determine political standing.

The President specifically addressed groups like the AFC-M23, stating that they would not be included as a political component in the national dialogue. He reiterated that their actions, fighting the constitutional order, occupying national territory by force, illegally administering entities, or acting in service of foreign powers, particularly Rwanda, preclude them from dialogue. Tshisekedi positioned the Doha process as the appropriate framework for addressing issues related to hostilities, disarmament, and cantonment with the AFC-M23.

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No military conquest can be converted into political legitimacy.

Furthermore, Tshisekedi unequivocally rejected the notion of impunity for serious crimes. He stated that war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and other grave offenses would not be erased by a general amnesty or sacrificed for political compromise. "We will not build reconciliation on forgetting," he affirmed, signaling a commitment to justice alongside peace efforts. The dialogue aims to foster national unity and rebuild the country, but not at the expense of accountability for atrocities.

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We will not build reconciliation on forgetting.