Accusations of Responsible Leadership

The Allied Forces of Congo/March 23 Movement (AFC/M23) has launched a scathing critique of what it terms irresponsible warmongering rhetoric emanating from President Félix Tshisekedi. Speaking from Houston, Texas, where he addressed Congolese expatriates following the DRC-Portugal World Cup match, Tshisekedi pledged imminent military reconquest of territories under AFC/M23 control in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

In a press conference held in Goma, North Kivu on June 18, 2026, AFC/M23 Political Coordinator Corneille Nangaa expressed bewilderment at the international community’s muted response to Kinshasa’s aggressive stance. Nangaa characterized this silence as moving perilously close to complicity, particularly given the mediation teams’ awareness of escalating military operations violating existing peace agreements.

Demands for Accountability

“Before God, History, and our Nation, we must acknowledge this deafening silence from the peace mediation and international partners—a silence that borders on complicity. The international community possesses detailed information about the ground realities, the staggering civilian casualties, and the perpetrators of these crimes,” declared Nangaa.

The movement’s leader highlighted the Doha peace talks mediators, diplomatic missions, and human rights organizations as entities fully informed about the deteriorating security and humanitarian crisis, particularly in the Minembwe Highlands. This perceived inaction, Nangaa argued, only serves to embolden perpetrators and perpetuate violence.

Systematic Undermining of Peace Efforts

Nangaa accused Kinshasa of deliberately minimizing the eastern DRC crisis while simultaneously pursuing policies that directly contradict peace process commitments. “We refuse to accept that the suffering of eastern Congo’s populations be treated as a peripheral tragedy,” he stated, emphasizing that each human life deserves equal protection regardless of geographical distance from the capital.

“The obstacles, deceptions, manipulations, and political scheming emanating from Félix Tshisekedi and his international partners gravely compromise peace efforts in our country. The continuous military buildup and deployment of additional forces directly contradict any sincere de-escalation process.”

He cited the hundreds of prisoners of war released by AFC/M23 as confidence-building measures that remain unreciprocated by Kinshasa’s government, where promised commitments have yet to materialize.

International Initiatives and Ongoing Challenges

The verbal confrontation between Kinshasa and AFC/M23—widely believed to receive Rwandan support—follows failed diplomatic initiatives including the Washington Accords and Doha Process. These agreements aimed to establish lasting ceasefires and revive dialogue between conflict parties, yet have produced no tangible results on the ground where hostilities persist.

Calls from national, regional, and international stakeholders for adherence to peace initiative commitments continue to go unheeded. The persistent gap between diplomatic advances on paper and ground realities persists, with each party interpreting agreement provisions through self-serving lenses that further jeopardize implementation.

Clément Muamba reporting from Goma