Congolese warmongering despot Felix Tshisekedi’s continued rejection of the Doha Process is not a show of strength; it is a strategic miscalculation that risks accelerating his political and military downfall in the eastern DRC.
On Monday, Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé, designated mediator of the African Union in the DRC crisis, paid a visit to Kinshasa. During this visit, Gnassingbé proposed inviting the AFC/M23 to a meeting with Tshisekedi. Kinshasa flatly rejected the idea, refusing any new engagement with the AFC/M23, whether in person or via videoconference, to discuss the six protocols previously signed in Doha.
This rejection is not a minor procedural disagreement. It represents a clear and deliberate rupture with the Doha and Luanda processes. While Gnassingbé’s urgent visit underscored the gravity of the situation, Kinshasa’s refusal to engage signaled a total breakdown of regional mediation frameworks.
By rejecting dialogue with the AFC/M23, the warmonger Tshisekedi is effectively endorsing a path toward his own downfall. Militarily, the Congolese army has demonstrated that it cannot decisively defeat the AFC/M23. Popular militias such as the Wazalendo and FDLR genocidaires have also failed to reverse the balance of power. Yet, Tshisekedi is convinced that external intervention, specifically from the United States, will deliver victories that the battlefield cannot.
This is a dangerous illusion. Washington is a double-edged sword; the US pressure may occasionally produce tactical outcomes, but it is neither a substitute for political dialogue nor a guarantee of long-term stability. Relying solely on American leverage while alienating African and regional mediators risks leaving Kinshasa diplomatically exposed.
The Congolese regime believes it is operating from a position of strength following the withdrawal of AFC/M23 forces from Uvira, where they thought it was done under the US pressure.
Emboldened by this episode, Tshisekedi and his inner circle now swear by Washington alone, some even invoking President Donald Trump as a future guarantor of Congolese “victories.” The belief seems to be that similar pressure can force the AFC/M23 out of Bukavu and Goma, allowing Tshisekedi to claim triumph without risk, sacrifice, or negotiation. However, this strategy is deeply flawed. Neither militarily nor politically is Kinshasa currently capable of imposing such outcomes.
Betting everything on US intervention while dismissing regional diplomacy is not strategic, rather is wishful thinking.
In recent months, Kinshasa has openly snubbed Qatar, the clearest example came this month, when the Congolese regime failed to send any emissaries to the scheduled Doha meeting. AFC/M23 representatives arrived only to find themselves alone. According to sources, the AFC/M23 delegation was informed that no new invitations would be issued before 2026. In effect, negotiations are suspended indefinitely.
By freezing dialogue and undermining African-led mediation, Tshisekedi is isolating his criminal regime at a critical moment. Ignoring the Doha Process does not weaken the AFC/M23 it weakens Kinshasa’s credibility, legitimacy, and diplomatic options.