Félix Tshisekedi in New York: The world stage, elections on the horizon, and tensions in the east of the DRC

In the spotlight of the 78ᵉ session of the United Nations General Assembly, Félix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has set down his bags in New York. From 19 to 26 September, the great assembly of nations will open, where all Member States will come together to debate the crucial issues enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

On Wednesday 20 September at 3 p.m. (local time, 9 p.m. in Kinshasa), Mr Tshisekedi will speak for the fourth time since taking office. In addition to this international forum, bilateral meetings are expected, notably with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres.

The road to the December 2023 elections

Behind the scenes, however, President Tshisekedi faces a major challenge: ensuring that the elections scheduled for December 2023 can be held despite the logistical and security obstacles. With less than three months to go to the polls, some regions of North Kivu have still not registered their voters, as has part of the province of Mai-Ndombe. The main objective of his speech will also be to reaffirm the credibility of the electoral process, in the face of criticism from the opposition, which is calling for a new audit of the electoral roll and questioning the recent imprisonment of prominent figures, including journalist Stanis Bujakera.

The end of President Fatshi's first term in office

The 78ᵉ United Nations General Assembly will also mark the end of Félix Tshisekedi's first five-year term. As a candidate for his own succession, the UDPS president will seek to draw up a positive assessment of his term in office, while recalling the hopes raised when he came to power after Joseph Kabila. His aim is to convince the international community of the progress made in the DRC despite the persistent crises.

Conflicts with Rwanda

Tshisekedi, anxious to highlight what he sees as Kigali's obstruction of peace efforts in the east of the DRC, will seek to rally the international community to the DRC's position. This position is aimed at exerting diplomatic pressure on Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who is accused of supporting the M23 rebellion. As Didier Reynders emphasised in early September, "the European Union, represented by High Representative Josep Borell, will support any dialogue".

The future of MONUSCO

In terms of security, the Congolese government's position on MONUSCO has changed. Kinshasa now considers this UN force to be "disqualified" and believes that it no longer meets the security challenges in the east of the country. Félix Tshisekedi is calling for rapid implementation of MONUSCO's transition plan, and would like to see a reduction in the number of peacekeepers this year.