The Democratic Republic of Congo unveiled a new government on Wednesday, ending more than five months of deadlock following President Felix Tshisekedi’s re-election.

The announcement came less than two weeks after the country’s military said it had thwarted a coup attempt that saw armed men attack a minister’s home before entering the Palais de la Nation that houses Tshisekedi’s offices in the capital Kinshasa.

It also came at a time of renewed fighting in eastern DRC, where the Congolese army is trying to regain territory seized by Rwanda-backed M23 (March 23 Movement) rebels.

Announced around 02:00 am local time (0100 GMT), the new government named Guy Kabombo Muadiamvita as the defence minister, a key post at a time when Congo faces a serious security crisis in the east.

In power since 2019, Tshisekedi was re-elected in the first round of December presidential elections, with over 70 percent of the vote, but his “Sacred Union of the Nation” platform was still unable to immediately form a government.

“It’s a coalition of different parties, there have been discussions…, compromises”, said Erik Nyindu, director of communications for the presidency, explaining why the formation of the government had taken time.