Opportunities and challenges in the DRC

This report examines the political opportunities and challenges facing President Felix Tshisekedi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during his first year in office. It highlights the tension between Tshisekedi and former President Joseph Kabila, whose FCC coalition maintains a dominant majority in Parliament. The author argues that for Tshisekedi to succeed and secure a second term in 2023, he must shift the political balance, reform the CENI and Constitutional Court, and address dire socio-economic needs. The report also discusses the necessity of a regional approach to peace in the eastern DRC involving Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi, and suggests that the international community can support transformational change by promoting transparency in the mining sector via IMF engagement.

• President Felix Tshisekedi's presidency presents an opportunity for improved governance in the DRC, driven by the fact that Joseph Kabila no longer holds the presidency, which makes it harder for Kabila to maintain the loyalty of his political coalition.
• Tshisekedi is constrained by a political alliance with Kabila's FCC, which holds a massive majority in the National Assembly (350 seats) and the Senate (98 of 109 seats), allowing the FCC to nominate the prime minister and most government ministers.
• If Tshisekedi maintains the status quo and does not reform key institutions, he risks his ability to secure a second mandate in 2023, as the FCC is unlikely to allow it; sources suggest a quid pro quo exists where CACH would support an FCC candidate in 2023.
• The Commission électorale nationale indépendante (CENI) and the Constitutional Court are identified as key institutions requiring reform to ensure free and fair elections in 2023, as the latter was stacked by Kabila with accountable judges.
• Tshisekedi has taken initial steps toward poverty reduction by making primary education in government schools free starting in September 2019, though this has led to issues with unpaid teacher salaries.
• Efforts to stabilize the eastern DRC are complicated by the history of destabilization by Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi, and the existence of illicit economic networks that benefit Kabila and his elite.
• The international community, specifically the IMF, can catalyze transparency in the mining sector—a high-risk area controlled by the FCC—by linking aid to the publication of mining contracts and audited financial statements.
• The FCC is held together by patronage rather than ideology, making it susceptible to fraying if Tshisekedi can provide a political home for dissidents or if Kabila's ability to dispense money and positions diminishes.
• The alliance between FCC and CACH is described as a 'coalition at the top of the pyramid' characterized by volatility, with rank-and-file supporters of both sides remaining antagonistic.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). Opportunities and challenges in the DRC. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/car-15-1.pdf

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. Opportunities and challenges in the DRC. n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/car-15-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=Opportunities and challenges in the DRC |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/car-15-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudiesndopportunities, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{Opportunities and challenges in the DRC}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/car-15-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }