DRC Government Maintains Selective Dialogue Approach Amid Calls for Inclusive Talks

Kinshasa April 17, 2026 - The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reaffirmed its position that it will determine which Congolese actors will participate in ongoing peace negotiations, insisting on a selective approach to dialogue aimed at ending long-standing conflict in the country. Authorities in Kinshasa say the talks are intended to achieve lasting peace, but maintain that participation will not be open to all groups. “The government will select those to talk to and those to leave,” officials have indicated, underscoring their control over the composition of the dialogue process. This stance comes amid growing calls from religious leaders, civil society actors, and political figures urging President Félix Tshisekedi to initiate a broad-based national dialogue. Church representatives, including pastors from the Catholic and Anglican communities, have stressed that any meaningful peace process should include Congolese from all walks of life, including representatives of armed groups. However, the government has rejected the inclusion of armed factions in the talks. Religious leaders argue that excluding such actors risks undermining efforts to reach a comprehensive and durable settlement to decades of instability. At the international level, Angolan President João Lourenço, in his capacity as African Union (AU) chair, also called on President Tshisekedi to integrate representatives of the AFC/M23 movement into the dialogue framework. Kinshasa has declined this recommendation. On April 16, government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya clarified that President Tshisekedi had agreed to engage in discussions with Congolese actors “separated from Kagame,” emphasizing that the government’s priority remains the recovery of territories currently under the control of armed forces. Muyaya further accused the AFC/M23 and their affiliates of committing crimes against civilians, stating that they would be held accountable. He added that the government seeks to ensure justice and prevent what it describes as a culture of impunity.