Congo’s Tshisekedi Opens Three-Month National Dialogue

Democratic Republic of the Congo President Félix Tshisekedi announced on August 28, 2026, that the country will begin a national dialogue on peace, national cohesion and state reform. The process is limited to a maximum of three months and is intended to begin with consultations across all 26 provinces before national talks in Kinshasa.

The announcement creates a formal political process, but not a completed agreement. Its credibility will depend on how the government organizes participation, whether provincial consultations are broadly representative and how the process addresses Congo’s constitutional dispute and armed conflict.

A province-first process

The presidency said the dialogue will focus on the structural causes of instability rather than simply dividing government positions among political actors. Tshisekedi presented the approach as a break with earlier talks that produced political arrangements without sufficiently strengthening state institutions.

Consultations are expected to start in the country’s provinces, territories and communities. National-level discussions in Kinshasa would follow after views have been collected outside the capital. That sequence makes the organization of local consultations an early test of whether the process is intended to gather broad public input or primarily consolidate an agreement among national elites.

The presidency said political parties, civil society groups, religious and traditional leaders, businesses, academics, youth organizations, women’s groups and members of the diaspora could participate.

Armed groups and justice are separate questions

Tshisekedi said armed groups fighting the constitutional order, occupying territory, administering areas illegally or acting on behalf of a foreign power would not participate as political components of the national dialogue. In the presidency’s description, that category includes actors it says are serving Rwanda, and the AFC/M23 is excluded from the internal political forum.

That does not mean the AFC/M23 is excluded from every peace effort. Reporting on Tshisekedi’s address said direct military discussions involving the group remain tied to the separate Doha process. The distinction is between an internal political consultation and negotiations over military and security issues.

The president also said there would be no general amnesty for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, serious sexual violence or other crimes that cannot be barred by the passage of time.

Why the opposition rejects the initiative

The announcement comes amid a dispute over proposed constitutional changes. A Constitutional Court ruling reported in July concerned the constitutionality of a proposed referendum framework and related provisions; it did not approve a third presidential term.

Opposition leaders say the broader constitutional process could create a path for Tshisekedi to seek another term after his current mandate ends in 2028. That is an allegation about the possible political effect of the proposed changes, not a decision by Tshisekedi that he will seek a third term.

The C64 opposition coalition rejected the consultations on August 28. Its leaders said the initiative could facilitate constitutional revision and extend Tshisekedi’s rule, and the coalition called for a national march on September 15, 2026.

What happens next

The presidency said an organizing committee will be created by presidential ordinance in the coming days. After receiving the committee’s report, Tshisekedi is expected to sign a second ordinance formally convening the national dialogue. The stated goal is a national pact accompanied by an implementation strategy.

For civilians, the practical stakes are larger than the timetable. Congo is facing continuing conflict and humanitarian pressure, particularly in the east, while political tensions in Kinshasa are rising. The next milestones will show whether the process can improve security, public institutions, accountability and political participation—or deepen distrust between the government and its opponents.

Sources

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