The leadership of the Anglican Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has stated that members and fighters of the AFC/M23 coalition are Congolese citizens who should not be excluded from the peace talks currently being prepared.
The statement was made by the Anglican Church’s spokesperson, Pastor Eric Nsenga, after a delegation from the church and the Catholic Church met with Democratic Republic of the Congo President Félix Tshisekedi on July 17, 2026. During the meeting, Tshisekedi agreed to organize what he described as “inclusive dialogue” aimed at resolving the country’s ongoing crisis.
Following the meeting, Congolese government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya suggested that the planned national dialogue would exclude armed groups and individuals who had not publicly condemned what he called the aggression in the eastern part of the country.
The DRC government has repeatedly accused AFC/M23 fighters of being foreigners, criminals, terrorists, and proxies of foreign powers. It has used these allegations to justify its refusal to hold direct talks with the coalition as part of an inter-Congolese dialogue.
Pastor Nsenga said that neither the Catholic Church nor the Anglican Church could support the exclusion of the AFC/M23 coalition, led by Corneille Nangaa Yobeluo, from talks between the Congolese parties and the government, adding that they had made this position clear to President Tshisekedi.
“Can we now say that those who have taken up arms, the group led by Corneille Nangaa, should not be heard? No, that is not what we are saying. That is why you saw us in Goma. We had a serious discussion with President Félix. I can reveal that to you. The President maintained that there was aggression taking place,” Pastor Nsenga said.
The pastor said that in February 2025, the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church told President Tshisekedi that there could indeed be acts of aggression, but that Goma was being controlled by Congolese people who had taken up arms and believed they had reasons for fighting.
“We said: ‘Instead of remaining trapped in the argument about armed groups and aggression, let us find a way to address the problems of the children of this country.’ That is why we went to Goma and listened to the people there. They are our brothers and sisters. They shared their views, and we listened to them,” he said.
Pastor Nsenga emphasized that this was not the time to prolong the conflict, but rather for all sides to be heard. He explained that AFC/M23 has reasons it claims to be fighting for, and that the Catholic and Anglican churches, as mediators, do not have the responsibility to dismiss the concerns raised by any side.
