On Saturday, October 3, 2026, President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo travelled to Brazzaville for talks with his Congolese counterpart, Denis Sassou Nguesso. The meeting was meant to strengthen bilateral ties between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Congo, but it took place against the backdrop of a border incident that has stirred strong feelings on both sides of the river.

The clash occurred at Makotipoko, a locality in the Republic of Congo near Yumbi, in the Maï-Ndombe province of western DRC, and involved elements of the two countries’ armed forces.

The search for a common ground

Both heads of state reaffirmed the importance of preserving the fraternal and good-neighbourly relations that bind the two nations. President Tshisekedi made a point of easing tensions, recalling that the peoples of Kinshasa and Brazzaville are one and the same. “I brought with me the Ministers of Interior and Defence so that they can see together how to avoid this kind of slip-up in the future. We are one people, we share the same culture. We are meant to live together,” he said.

Compensation and next steps

The Congolese president also announced his intention to meet the victims of the incident soon and to initiate a procedure for their compensation. This promise has been widely discussed in the public debate, with many waiting to see how it will be implemented in practice.

Finally, the two leaders discussed the security and humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, calling for strict respect of the Washington agreements.