The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Antoine Félix Tshisekedi, has declared that no peace talks involving Congolese citizens will ever take place unless he is the one who initiates them. He also called on his people to strive for peace and unity.
President Tshisekedi made these remarks on Saturday, August 30, 2025, during the opening of the 2nd Extraordinary Congress of the Sacred Union of the Nation, a political platform he leads.
In his speech, President Félix Tshisekedi reaffirmed that both his personal political struggle and that of his party are rooted in the principles of dialogue and consensus. However, he stressed that any such talks must take place exclusively on Congolese soil, and only involve Congolese citizens who are not influenced by the interests of neighboring countries.
His firm stance comes shortly after Kinshasa rejected a peace dialogue initiative by former South African President Thabo Mbeki, who had proposed informal talks between all major Congolese political actors to be held in early September.
President Tshisekedi made it clear that he does not support any peace initiative that is externally driven or imposed by foreign powers, asserting that only he has the authority to initiate such political dialogue within his country.
Additionally, Tshisekedi called on the Congolese people to reject violence and armed conflict, urging them to choose peace instead. He underlined the destructive impact of war, stating that conflict only hinders national development and causes widespread suffering.
He appealed to all Congolese to work towards building their nation through dialogue, unity, and peace.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has been embroiled in conflict for over three decades, involving various armed groups, including the M23 rebel group, which is composed of Congolese nationals fighting for their rights and for the return of Congolese refugees living in neighboring countries.
Currently, peace talks are underway in Doha, Qatar, between the Congolese government led by Félix Tshisekedi and the M23 movement.
These talks follow a peace agreement signed between Congo and Rwanda, brokered by the United States under former President Donald Trump. It was previously announced that the final version of the agreement would be signed by the heads of state of both countries in Washington, D.C.