DRC: Tshisekedi launches the national dialogue process despite protests

The national dialogue announced by Félix Tshisekedi is entering a new phase in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On Sunday, September 13, the Congolese president signed an order establishing a committee tasked with preparing the groundwork for the commission that will organize the upcoming national dialogue.

This committee does not yet constitute the preparatory commission for the dialogue. It must, in particular, establish the necessary material, technical, logistical and security conditions and prepare consultations with the various components of Congolese society.

The process, however, remains contested by part of the opposition. Several actors criticize the head of state for maintaining a central role in organizing the dialogue, even though it is presented as a national initiative aimed at bringing together the country's various forces.

The Save the DRC movement, which is close to Joseph Kabila, believes that the conditions necessary for a credible dialogue are not in place. Other groups, including the C64 coalition and Lamuka, are calling for a process they consider truly inclusive.

From the government's perspective, the dialogue is presented as a framework for seeking peace, national cohesion, and the rebuilding of the state. The Congolese presidency had announced a process limited to three months, with the objective of addressing the structural causes of the country's instability.

The establishment of this committee therefore marks the beginning of the preparatory phase, but the conditions of participation and the precise content of future discussions still remain to be defined.

Yolande Bazié