DR Congo seeks permanent national dialogue as Russia stresses sovereign control of resources at UN

The Democratic Republic of Congo, grappling with decades of political, security and institutional crises, is proposing that its "national dialogue" become a permanent mechanism of governance. The proposal, outlined by Rev. Dr. David Chambo Kwete, emphasizes "internal diplomacy"—a system for citizens, institutions and social forces to communicate and reach compromise—and a "dialogic sovereignty" that enables the nation to generate its own consensus on key challenges.

At the United Nations Security Council, Congo’s president Félix Tshisekedi and foreign minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner presented a new doctrine linking natural‑resource governance to peace and development. Russia responded, invoking UN General Assembly resolution 1803 (1962) to reaffirm that states retain sovereign rights over their resources and warning that cheap foreign access to minerals often fuels armed conflict, especially in eastern Congo.

Both discussions highlight the link between resource management, internal cohesion and regional security in the DRC.