The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is becoming an increasingly important subject for the international community: its political instability and security problems affect not only the country but also the region as a whole.
The new president, Felix Tshisekedi, faces many challenges, including resolving conflicts in the east of the country and creating more transparent and equitable governance. In recent months, Tshisekedi has tried to take control of the situation by sticking to his policy of talking rather than force.
His determination to denounce the axis of evil embodied by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda is the main asset of the slowdown of the millennial project of balkanization of Congo-Zaire. The former Congolese opponent who came to power after the December 2018 elections took his time to rub shoulders with Rwanda, understand the economic issues behind the succession of wars against his country and measure the international scope of the crisis.
Despite his efforts, the war is not over. Tshisekedi and Kagame are still playing dog and cat, without foreseeing any face-to-face meeting in the horizon of the year 2023.
Despite this stalemate, however, there are some encouraging signs. The military fronts are no longer bubbling like a year ago, and the formal meetings of regional groups are less and less audible. The war machine is seriously rusting and many commentators believe the DRC could be on the verge of a real breakthrough.
Clearly, the challenges Tshisekedi faces are enormous, but he looks set to face them with courage and determination. The whole world looks forward to the results of its efforts towards a more stable and prosperous DRC, able to play a positive role in the region and in the world.