DRC: Tshisekedi signs decree establishing national dialogue committee

This decision implements a step announced on August 27 during the presidential address that launched the dialogue process. The presidency indicated that the committee would be responsible for preparing the administrative, material, and logistical aspects of the meetings and ensuring that the necessary conditions for their holding are met.

The committee is required to submit a preliminary report to the president. Based on this report, a second decree will formally convene the national dialogue and specify its guiding principles, various stages, representation modalities, and mechanisms for monitoring the conclusions.

The format presented by Félix Tshisekedi includes consultations in the 26 provinces before national meetings in Kinshasa. Authorities have set a maximum duration of three months for the entire process, without announcing a specific date for the start of the provincial consultations at this stage.

The dialogue occurs amid significant political and security tensions. Opposition groups have contested the framework defined by the presidency and demanded guarantees regarding inclusivity and mediation, while the government insists that the process must remain conducted on Congolese territory and respect existing institutions.

In his address on August 27, Félix Tshisekedi also ruled out a general amnesty for serious crimes and announced that those fighting against the constitutional order would not participate in the dialogue as political components. Discussions with the AFC/M23 are, according to the presidency, being handled separately within the Doha process.