Democratic Republic of the Congo – Conversation between Catherine Colonna and the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs (23 Jun. 2022)

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna spoke today with Christophe Lutundula, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The minister reaffirmed France’s commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and all the countries of the region. She condemned current offensives by the M23 movement and the actions of other armed groups including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), the Cooperative for Development of the Congo (CODECO) and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). She expressed her support for the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in its fight against armed groups in the eastern DRC.

The Minister expressed France’s concern over the upsurge in hate speech against communities and individuals.

She spoke out in favor of easing tensions and pursuing a dialogue with Rwanda within the framework of existing diplomatic initiatives and mechanisms. She expressed France’s support for the Nairobi Process and for the mediation effort led by Angolan President Joao Lourenço, with backing from the African Union.

The two ministers also discussed various aspects of bilateral cooperation between France and the DRC.