Face-to-face talks in Brazzaville

On Saturday, 3 October 2026, President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) met with his Congolese counterpart Denis Sassou Nguesso in Brazzaville. The meeting was part of efforts to strengthen bilateral ties between the two neighbouring countries.

Makotipoko incident on the agenda

Among the issues discussed was the recent clash at Makotipoko, a locality in the Republic of the Congo near Yumbi, in the Mai-Ndombe province of western DRC. The incident involved elements of the armed forces from both nations.

Both heads of state underscored the need to safeguard the fraternal and good-neighbourly relations that bind their peoples.

Tshisekedi calls for calm and unity

President Tshisekedi sought to ease tensions, emphasising that the people of Kinshasa and Brazzaville are one and the same. “I brought along my ministers of interior and defence so they can jointly find ways to prevent such incidents in the future. We are one people, we share the same culture. We are meant to live together,” he said.

He also announced plans to meet with the victims of the incident soon and to initiate a compensation process for them.

Security in eastern DRC and Washington accords

The two leaders also addressed the security and humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, calling for strict adherence to the Washington agreements.