AFC/M23 writes to US accusing it of favoring DRC in peace talks

On May 7, 2026, the Chairman of the AFC/M23 Alliance, Corneille Nangaa, wrote to the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, expressing his dissatisfaction with the way the United States is acting in the mediation of the DRC issue. He said that it appears to be biased towards the Kinshasa government rather than being an impartial mediator.

Nangaa pointed out that the DRC government has not yet respected the agreements it made during the peace talks held in Montreux, Switzerland in April 2026. Among the agreements it had made was the release of 317 prisoners within 10 days, but so far this has not been implemented, which he sees as a sign of disregard for the peace process.

In the letter, Nangaa said that the DRC government continues to carry out drone and military aircraft attacks on areas controlled by AFC/M23, and that some leaders of the group have been targeted. This shows that Kinshasa is not ready to withdraw from the conflict but is instead preoccupied with the war.

The AFC/M23 has expressed doubts about the US's role in the mediation process, especially after the DRC and the US signed a deal on minerals. The group says that President Félix Tshisekedi's regime is being shielded by Washington, which makes it impossible for the US to act as a mediator between the two sides.

For its part, the AFC/M23 said it had already implemented the agreed steps towards peace, including a reduction in fighting, the withdrawal from Walikale by 2025, the release of 1,350 prisoners and the facilitation of humanitarian operations. It added that it had submitted a request to the International Committee of the Red Cross to provide assistance to over 5,000 FARDC soldiers and their families.

AFC/M23 indicated that after leaving the town of Uvira, security remained poor due to the presence of the DRC Government Forces, in collaboration with Burundi, FDLR and Wazalendo fighters in the area. This is said to be increasing the conflict and insecurity among the population, while the peace agreement has not been implemented.

The AFC/M23 letter was not only sent to the United States. It was also copied to Togo's President Faure Gnassingbé, who is one of the mediators on the issue, as well as other partners including Qatar and Switzerland. This is intended to show that the AFC/M23 wants the peace process to be monitored by a number of mediators to ensure fairness.

These allegations by the AFC/M23 could complicate the peace process, especially since there are now concerns that the US mediation is no longer credible on both sides. Analysts say that for lasting peace to be achieved in the DRC, an impartial mediator is needed with the power to put pressure on all parties to respect their agreements.

AFC/M23 writes to US accusing it of favoring DRC in peace talks