On Thursday, 19 June 2026, the political coordinator of the AFC/M23, Corneille Nangaa, took the floor in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, to denounce what he called an “irresponsible and warmongering” speech by President Félix Tshisekedi. The Congolese leader had spoken in Houston, United States, after the DRC-Portugal World Cup match, promising the imminent reconquest of areas held by the politico-military movement.

Nangaa reaffirmed his movement’s determination to defend itself against Kinshasa’s threats, but expressed bewilderment at the international community’s attitude. He argued that their inaction amounts to complicity, especially since they have detailed information about the ground situation where government forces are launching intense attacks in violation of commitments and ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation.

“Faced with this dramatic situation and the ensuing calamities, we have a responsibility before God, history and the nation to note this deafening silence from the mediation and peace process partners, which borders on complicity. Especially since the international community has detailed information about the reality on the ground, the massive civilian death toll and the perpetrators of these crimes,” Nangaa said.

He continued:

“The mediators of the Doha peace talks, diplomatic missions, international agencies and human rights organizations are aware of the continued deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in the region in general, and particularly in the Hauts-Plateaux de Minembwe. This lack of action reinforces the feeling of impunity and encourages the continuation of violence.”

Nangaa also condemned the tendency to downplay the security situation in eastern DRC. He accused Félix Tshisekedi of persistently undermining peace efforts while international partners look on powerless.

“We refuse to allow the suffering of the people of eastern Congo to be treated as a peripheral tragedy happening, as they often say, more than 2,000 kilometers from Kinshasa. Every human life deserves the same protection and consideration. We draw everyone’s attention to the many obstacles, deceptions, manipulations, tricks and intrigues by Mr. Félix Tshisekedi and his international partners, which keep seriously compromising peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” he said.

He added:

“The strengthening of military installations and the continuous deployment of new forces on the ground are antithetical to a sincere de-escalation process. Many commitments made under the peace process remain dead letters. While several hundred prisoners of war have been released by the AFC/M23 as a confidence-building measure, the reciprocal commitments expected from the Kinshasa regime have seen no implementation.”

This new verbal confrontation between Kinshasa, represented by Félix Tshisekedi, and the AFC/M23 rebellion, backed by Rwanda, comes amid diplomatic attempts including the Washington agreements and the Doha process, aimed at establishing a lasting ceasefire and relaunching dialogue between the parties to a conflict that has shaken eastern DRC for years. However, these initiatives have yet to produce concrete results on the ground, where hostilities between the rebellion and government forces continue.

In response, voices at national, regional and international levels continue to call on all parties to respect commitments made under the peace initiatives. But these calls remain largely without noticeable effect. The goal of bridging the persistent gap between ground realities and diplomatic progress on paper is still far from being achieved, as each side continues to interpret the provisions of the accords according to its own reading, making implementation ever more uncertain.