C64 accepts Tshisekedi’s national dialogue offer

News Monitor #31
24 July 2026

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The C64 opposition platform agreed to suspend its planned July 22nd nationwide protest against a constitutional reform after Tshisekedi announced he would convene a national dialogue. The announcement is a welcome first step that lowers the immediate risk of violence in Kinshasa. Whether it resolves the political crisis, rather than deferring it, depends on what happens next.

Read PAEMA’s full statement

HIGHLIGHTS

New UN Sanctions target armed group leaders in the east. On July 16th, the Security Council 1533 Sanctions Committee announced it sanctioned six individuals and two entities: Corneille Nangaa, the head of the Congo River Alliance (Alliance Fleuve Congo, M23’s political alliance), alongside the M23 intelligence chief, the commander of M23-allied Twirwaneho militia, as well as two FDLR colonels and one ADF commander. The entities sanctioned are the AFC and Twirwaneho. Two of the individuals sanctioned, the M23 intelligence chief and an FDLR commander, were sanctioned last month by the United States. Nangaa reacted to the announcement saying it would not deter his struggle, which he said was ‘existential’; while M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka called the sanctions ‘selective’ and ‘discriminatory’.
The mid-July U.S.-set deadline for Rwandan withdrawal passed with no change on the ground. On July 15-16, representatives from the DRC, Rwanda, the US, Qatar and the AU Commission met in Geneva for the fifth Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM) of the Washington Accords, and agreed to ‘explore possible verification mechanisms to facilitate implementation of the Accords’. Five JSCM meetings, a completed ceasefire verification mechanism, an expired U.S. ultimatum and repeated commitments have failed to meaningfully alter the situation on the ground where fighting continues and M23 consolidates its occupation. Without coercive measures attached to non-compliance, the Washington Accords remain ineffectual and detached from the realities of the conflict.
Ebola passed 1,000 recorded deaths across five provinces as a health worker strike hampers containment efforts. Healthcare workers in Ebola-affected zones, including Butembo, Beni and Bunia have gone on strike, demanding payment of their overdue salaries and hazard bonuses, while treatment centers continue to be targeted by rioters. The WHO also warned that the outbreak’s true scale could be four times higher than the official toll. On July 10th, WHO Health Emergencies Program Director Chikwe Ihekweazu announced that four vaccines (currently in clinical trials) for the Bundibugyo Ebola strain could be available in Ituri in under three months, but stressed that community engagement would still be a critical factor in limiting the disease’s spread.
The U.S.-DRC strategic partnership progresses. On July 10th, the DRC Council of Ministers approved the concession agreement for the Congolese side of the Lobito corridor to Mota-Engil, a Portuguese construction group supported by the U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC). The Bureau of African Affairs called it a key milestone in the U.S.-DRC Strategic Partnership Agreement.

UN UPDATES

The DRC, at the helm of the UN Security Council for the month of July, has used its presidency to push its agenda on resources and conflict and build political capital.
Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba chaired an Arria-formula meeting on 13 July on the normative gaps linking natural resources and peace, arguing for stronger governance of resources as a peace instrument.
On July 22nd, Kayikwamba chaired a Security Council debate on natural resources governance, and delivered President Tshisekedi’s address (Tshisekedi was initially scheduled to attend). Meeting participants underscored that as the demand for critical energy transition minerals (such as lithium, cobalt and nickel) is set to triple in the coming years, resource extraction must benefit communities and peace instead of fuelling conflict.
The Israeli ambassador to the UN met with Congolese FM Therese Kayikwamba on July 23rd, and said they discussed the ‘Council’s responsibility to confront the growing threat of terrorism’ ahead of Kayikwamba’s third visit to Israel next week.

PEACE PROCESSES

The Joint Ceasefire Verification Mechanism, one of the Doha commitments, is now nominally complete. The mechanism now includes three FARDC officers’ return to M23-held Goma–for the first time since January 2025–, with three M23 officers, and three MONUSCO experts, with the African Union, Qatar and the United States as observers.
A video showing Rwandan Army spokesman Brigadier General Ronald Rwivanga stating “forget the Washington Agreements — we are in Goma and Bukavu to stay” surfaced on social media on July 10th. Kigali has not commented.

DRC UPDATES

ARMED CONFLICT

Ituri

Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels repeatedly targeted gold mines in Mambasa territory’s Bakaeko groupement, killing more than 16 miners on July 22nd. In Irumu territory, FARDC arrested several civilians in Mungamba for purchasing tokens from the ADF to access their farmland.
In Irumu, the killing of FPIC leader ‘Herode’ triggered days of instability around Nyankunde and Marabo, south of Bunia.

North Kivu

ADF carried out repeated attacks on both FARDC positions and civilians in the town of Beni and surrounding villages between July 11th and 16th, causing over 25 fatalities.
Suspected M23 fighters killed nine civilians in Tongo groupement on July 17th, while an FDLR attack killed two in Kibingu on July 10th.
M23 consolidates its administration in Lubero. M23 has imposed new school management rules in the territory, mandating all school reports be printed in Goma, delegating school fee collection to M23’s administration, and instating a 70% tax on teacher bonuses.
Wazalendo gains ground in Masisi and Walikale. M23 withdrew from Bukumbirwa, Rusamambu, Kateku and Buleusa in Walikale on July 11th, Wazalendo captured Katoyi on July 12th, loyalist forces took Nkingwe and Malemo. Fighting continued in Masisi until July 15th, before a lull settled. Reports indicate M23 has used the pause to reinforce its positions.

South Kivu

Clashes continued between the M23 and FARDC coalitions, in Fizi, Kalehe and Mwenga territories. Kipupu, the Itombwe chiefdom seat, changed hands three times in four days, with the governmental coalition eventually pushing AFC forces back to Mikenge.

Maniema

A faction of combatants from Tanganyika province led by self-proclaimed general ‘Mayaya’ staged an incursion into Maniema province’s Kabambare territory on July 2nd, leading to repeated deadly clashes with the army and other local armed groups.
Also in Kabambare, ongoing clashes between two Wazalendo factions at the border between Maniema and Kabambare provinces have forced civilians to flee from five villages.

DOMESTIC POLITICS

The C64 opposition platform postponed its planned 22 July nationwide protest against a constitutional reform after Tshisekedi announced he would convene a national dialogue. The Coalition Article 64 (C64) postponed its July 22nd march following mediation from religious bodies, granting Tshisekedi until August 15 to convene national consultations. Read PAEMA’s full statement here.
Agents from the Congolese National Intelligence Agency (ANR) abducted a former national minister at his home in Kinshasa. On July 19th, around ten men identifying as ANR agents took the former Minister of Fisheries and Livestock from his residence in Ngaliema to an unknown destination, looting the house and taking property, money and phones without presenting a warrant.

MINERALS, INFRASTRUCTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES

President Felix Tshisekedi ordered police officers and military personnel illegally positioned in mining sites to withdraw from their posts on July 10th, arguing that their presence created negative perceptions of the DRC’s governance over its natural resources.
Miners demonstrated at Kolwezi on 10 July across the Kakula, Kasonko and Kamoa One sites, demanding a USD 1,000 bonus per employee and a $50 daily living allowance for camp-resident workers. Police dispersed the crowd with a water cannon and some protesters threw projectiles.
A comment by Chatham House experts argues that in order for the Lobito Corridor to achieve its aims, it will need to be digitized through the creation and management of geological databases, traceability tools, transparency portals, and mining cadastre systems. The establishment of these new data systems comes with its own set of challenges.

INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY

Regional Integration Minister meets with Belgian FM in Brussels. On July 20th, Floribert Anzuluni met with Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot in Brussels, and delivered a confidential letter from President Tshisekedi. The two ministers discussed matters related to regional security.
Félix Tshisekedi travelled to N’Djamena (Chad) on July 15-16th for the first edition of the ‘African Water Forum’, where he proposed a five-point roadmap to improve water management on the continent.
DRC Minister of Employment and Labor Ferdinand Massamba wa Massamba met with Israeli Minister of Labor Yariv Levin in Jerusalem on July 18th, agreeing to lay the foundations for a DRC-Israel partnership focusing on youth employment, green development, and technological innovation. This comes as the Israeli ambassador to the UN met with Congolese Kayikwamba in New York (see UN section).
Congolese nationals flee South Africa amid anti-immigrant riots. Over 120 Congolese nationals who were voluntarily repatriated from South Africa reached Kinshasa on July 18th.

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Version francophone

La plateforme d'opposition C64 a accepté de suspendre la marche nationale qu'elle prévoyait d'organiser le 22 juillet contre la révision constitutionnelle, après l'annonce par Félix Tshisekedi de l’ouverture d'un dialogue national. Cette annonce constitue un premier pas bienvenu, qui réduit le risque immédiat de violences à Kinshasa. Reste à savoir si elle permettra de résoudre la crise politique ou si elle ne fera que la reporter.

Notre déclaration complète

En bref

De nouvelles sanctions de l’ONU visent des chefs de groupes armés dans l’Est. Le 16 juillet, le Comité des sanctions 1533 du Conseil de sécurité a annoncé l’inscription de six individus et deux entités sur sa liste de sanctions : Corneille Nangaa, chef de l’Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC, l’alliance politique du M23), aux côtés du responsable du renseignement du M23, du chef militaire de la milice Twirwaneho alliée au M23, ainsi que de deux colonels des FDLR et d’un commandant des ADF. Les deux entités visées sont l’AFC et Twirwaneho. Deux des personnes sanctionnées — le responsable du renseignement du M23 et un commandant des FDLR — avaient déjà été sanctionnées le mois dernier par les États-Unis. Nangaa a réagi à cette annonce en affirmant qu’elle ne freinerait pas son combat, qu’il qualifie d’« existentiel » ; le porte-parole du M23, Lawrence Kanyuka, a pour sa part jugé ces sanctions « sélectives » et « discriminatoires ».
L’échéance fixée à la mi-juillet par Washington pour le retrait rwandais est passée sans changement sur le terrain. Les 15 et 16 juillet, les représentants de la RDC, du Rwanda, des États-Unis, du Qatar et de la Commission de l’Union africaine se sont réunis à Genève pour la cinquième session du Mécanisme conjoint de coordination sécuritaire (JSCM) des Accords de Washington, et se sont accordés pour « étudier d’éventuels mécanismes de vérification destinés à faciliter la mise en œuvre des Accords ». Cinq réunions du JSCM, un mécanisme de vérification du cessez-le-feu désormais constitué, un ultimatum américain expiré et des engagements répétés n’ont pas modifié de manière significative la situation sur le terrain, où les combats se poursuivent et où le M23 consolide son occupation. Faute de mesures coercitives assorties au non-respect des engagements, les Accords de Washington risquent de se réduire à un cycle sans fin de réunions et de déclarations, déconnecté de la réalité du conflit.
La plateforme d’opposition C64 a reporté sa marche nationale du 22 juillet contre la révision constitutionnelle, après l’annonce par Félix Tshisekedi de la convocation d’un dialogue national. La Coalition Article 64 pour la défense de l’ordre constitutionnel (C64) a reporté sa marche du 22 juillet à la suite de la médiation des confessions religieuses (CENCO et ECC), accordant au chef de l’État un délai jusqu’au 15 août pour convoquer des assises nationales.
L’épidémie d’Ebola a franchi le seuil des 1 000 décès enregistrés dans cinq provinces, alors qu’une grève du personnel soignant entrave les efforts de riposte. Les agents de santé des zones touchées, notamment à Butembo, Beni et Bunia, se sont mis en grève pour réclamer le paiement de leurs arriérés de salaire et de leurs primes de risque, tandis que les centres de traitement continuent d’être pris pour cible par des émeutiers. L’OMS a par ailleurs averti que l’ampleur réelle de l’épidémie pourrait être quatre fois supérieure au bilan officiel. Le 10 juillet, le directeur du Programme des urgences sanitaires de l’OMS, Chikwe Ihekweazu, a annoncé que quatre vaccins contre la souche Bundibugyo, actuellement en essais cliniques, pourraient être disponibles en Ituri d’ici moins de trois mois, tout en soulignant que l’engagement communautaire resterait un facteur déterminant pour limiter la propagation de la maladie.
Le partenariat stratégique entre les États-Unis et la RDC progresse. Le 10 juillet, le Conseil des ministres congolais a approuvé la convention de concession du tronçon congolais du corridor de Lobito au groupe de construction portugais Mota-Engil, soutenu par la Development Finance Corporation (DFC) américaine. Le Bureau des affaires africaines du Département d’État y a vu une étape clé de l’accord de partenariat stratégique entre les deux pays.

ONU

La RDC, à la tête du Conseil de sécurité pendant le mois de juillet, a mis à profit sa présidence pour porter son agenda sur les ressources et les conflits et développer son capital politique.
La ministre des Affaires étrangères Thérèse Kayikwamba a présidé le 13 juillet une réunion en formule "Arria" consacrée aux lacunes normatives dans le lien entre ressources naturelles et paix, plaidant pour une meilleure gouvernance des ressources comme instrument de paix.
Le 22 juillet, Mme Kayikwamba a présidé un débat du Conseil de sécurité sur la gouvernance des ressources naturelles et a prononcé l’allocution du président Tshisekedi (initialement attendu en personne). Les participants ont souligné que, la demande en minerais critiques de la transition énergétique (lithium, cobalt, nickel) devant tripler dans les prochaines années, l’exploitation des ressources doit bénéficier aux communautés et à la paix plutôt qu’alimenter les conflits.

PROCESSUS DE PAIX

Le Mécanisme conjoint de vérification du cessez-le-feu, l’un des engagements de Doha, est désormais formellement constitué. Il réunit trois officiers des FARDC — de retour à Goma, sous contrôle du M23, pour la première fois depuis janvier 2025 —, trois officiers du M23 et trois experts de la MONUSCO, avec l’Union africaine, le Qatar et les États-Unis comme observateurs.
Une vidéo dans laquelle le porte-parole de l’armée rwandaise, le général de brigade Ronald Rwivanga, déclare « oubliez les accords de Washington, nous sommes à Goma et à Bukavu pour y demeurer » a circulé sur les réseaux sociaux le 10 juillet. Kigali n’a pas réagi.

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