DR Congo President Announces National Dialogue Weeks After Religious Leaders Urged National Unity

The Congolese member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (OFM Cap) expressed gratitude to Tshisekedi for taking what he described as a statesmanlike initiative.

“It is an opportunity for me today, on behalf of all my colleagues who are here, the religious leaders, to express my gratitude to the President of the Republic, who, as the father of a nation… has taken this initiative and invited all the sons and daughters of Congo to sit down and say what is wrong,” he said.

Cardinal Ambongo added, “Today I say with all my heart, thank you.”

He also acknowledged the contribution of the Presidents of Burundi and the Republic of Congo to diplomatic efforts aimed at promoting peace in the DRC.

The announcement comes as the DRC continues to grapple with insecurity in its Eastern provinces, where armed groups have fuelled years of violence and displacement.

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There have also been heightened tensions between the Catholic Church and political leaders in the DRC over a proposed constitutional revision.

In June, members of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) warned that amending the country’s 2006 Constitution could plunge the nation into deeper instability, including the risk of renewed civil war.  

The debate over constitutional reform comes amid speculation that changes to the Constitution could allow President Tshisekedi to seek an additional term in office.

Cardinal Ambongo’s announcement of an inclusive national dialogue was quickly followed by concrete steps toward implementing the initiative.

On Saturday, July 18, the inclusive national dialogue officially got underway in Kinshasa, with CENCO and the Church of Christ in Congo (ECC) leading the mediation process entrusted to them by President Tshisekedi.

The first meeting brought together Church mediators and opposition leaders under the leadership of Cardinal Ambongo.

Speaking to the press after the meeting, the mediators said the objective of the initiative is to “bring calm, reconcile, and unite all the sons and daughters of this country around issues of national interest.”

“Our primary goal is to work toward the healing of the nation,” they said.

A key issue discussed during the meeting was the opposition’s planned peaceful march scheduled for July 22. Church leaders appealed to opposition parties to postpone the demonstration as a gesture of support for the newly launched dialogue process.

“We asked them to kindly suspend this activity and postpone it to demonstrate their willingness to support this process, which has just begun,” one of the mediators said.

The opposition also raised concerns about the inclusivity of the dialogue and the future of the country’s Constitution. In response, the Church mediators assured participants that the process would remain open and comprehensive.

“Inclusivity is something that is built. All issues will be placed on the table,” the mediators said.

CENCO and the ECC emphasized that the dialogue belongs to all Congolese rather than the Churches themselves.

“We call on all Congolese to take ownership of this process. This is not the Church’s process. It is the process of all Congolese,” they said.