Diplomacy under Félix Tshisekedi has become a traveling circus.
Every summit promises breakthroughs, yet every trip ends in the same familiar humiliation. Ahead of the African Union General Assembly in Addis Ababa last weekend, Tshisekedi went on another lobbying tour, first to Angola and then to South Africa.
The goal was predictable. Convince regional leaders to publicly denounce what he calls Rwanda’s aggression and support his endless call for sanctions. But once again, the diplomatic math did not add up.
In Luanda, President João Lourenço listened politely but chose a different script. His position remained clear and consistent: priority should be a ceasefire between M23 and FARDC.
Even during his closing remarks as outgoing AU chairperson, Rwanda was never singled out. Tshisekedi wanted condemnation. He got neutrality instead.
However, while Lourenço made his position clear and seemingly refused to echo Tshisekedi’s talking points, President Cyril Ramaphosa partially heeded his call and denounced M23, though he carefully avoided mentioning Rwanda altogether.
But Pretoria’s involvement already showed how shallow its understanding of the crisis is. Earlier meetings were marked by embarrassing communication errors, even misnaming Tshisekedi in official messaging, suggesting leaders handling a conflict they barely grasp.
Ramaphosa’s own record complicates matters. In 2024, South African troops deployed alongside Congolese forces suffered heavy setbacks before eventually withdrawing through arrangements that involved Rwanda as a transit route home.
Yet at the Assembly, Ramaphosa confidently demanded M23 withdraw from Ituri. The problem is simple: M23 has never operated there. That region is primarily affected by insurgents from the Allied Democratic Forces, not M23. A major geographical mistake delivered on an international platform.
So what did Tshisekedi ultimately secure after all the lobbying? No continental backing for sanctions. No united front against Rwanda. No diplomatic victory.
Just another summit where noise replaced strategy, and allies avoided being dragged into Kinshasa’s political chaos.
So the question Congolese taxpayers should be asking is simple: for how long will Tshisekedi keep roaming from capital to capital, burning public money on diplomatic tours that produce nothing? Every trip promises victories. Every return delivers excuses.
A country sinking in insecurity cannot afford a president campaigning abroad while crises multiply at home. Handshakes do not secure borders, and speeches do not stop wars.
At some point, the traveling must end and leadership must begin.
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