On Thursday, the AFC/M23, through its political coordinator Corneille Nangaa, condemned what it described as an “irresponsible” and “warlike” speech by President Félix Tshisekedi. The Congolese leader addressed a crowd in Houston, United States, following the DRC-Portugal World Cup match, promising to soon reclaim all territories held by the rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Speaking from Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, Nangaa reaffirmed his movement’s readiness to defend itself against any attacks from Kinshasa. He expressed deep concern over the international community’s silence regarding Tshisekedi’s stance. According to Nangaa, this inaction amounts to complicity, given that world bodies are well aware of the intense military offensives conducted by government forces in violation of agreed ceasefire commitments and ongoing diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions.

“Faced with this dramatic situation and the resulting calamities, we have a responsibility before God, history, and the nation to note this deafening silence of mediation and peace process partners — a silence that borders on complicity. The international community possesses detailed information about the ground realities, heavy civilian death tolls, and those perpetrating these crimes,” Nangaa charged.

He continued by pointing directly at mediators involved in the Doha peace talks, diplomatic missions, international agencies, and human rights organizations. He asserted that all these actors are fully aware of the worsening security and humanitarian situation, especially in the Minembwe highlands. “This lack of action fuels impunity and encourages further violence,” Nangaa added.

“We refuse to let the suffering of eastern Congo’s people be treated as a peripheral tragedy unfolding more than 2,000 kilometers from Kinshasa. Every life deserves equal protection and consideration. We draw attention to the many obstacles, deceptions, manipulations, and plots by Mr. Félix Tshisekedi and his international partners, which continuously undermine peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” he stated.

Nangaa also highlighted what he sees as a tendency to downplay the security crisis in the east. He insisted that Tshisekedi consistently sabotages peace initiatives while international partners remain passive. Furthermore, he pointed out the contradiction between the government’s military build-up and any genuine de-escalation process.

“The reinforcement of military positions and continuous deployment of new forces on the ground contradict any sincere de-escalation. Many commitments made under the peace process remain unimplemented. While the AFC/M23 released hundreds of prisoners of war as a confidence-building measure, Kinshasa has not reciprocated in any meaningful way,” Nangaa lamented.

This latest war of words between Kinshasa and the M23-backed rebellion occurs amid ongoing diplomatic attempts, including the Washington accords and the Doha process, designed to secure a lasting ceasefire and restart dialogue among all parties. So far, these initiatives have failed to translate into tangible results on the ground, where clashes persist between government forces and the rebel group.

Numerous calls at the national, regional, and international levels have urged all involved to respect existing agreements. However, those appeals have yet to produce any significant change. The gap between battlefield realities and diplomatic achievements on paper remains wide, with each side interpreting the accords to its own advantage, making implementation increasingly uncertain.