Democratic Republic of the Congo

French presence

French Consulates: Kinshasa (Consulate General), Lubumbashi and Bukavu (honorary consuls)
French community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: 2,417 on the consular register (2022)
Democratic Republic of the Congo community in France: 83,700 (2022, Interior Ministry data)

Visits

Presidential visits 

•    29-30 April 2024: official visit to Paris by President Tshisekedi.
•    3-5 March 2023: official visit to Kinshasa by President Macron during a tour of Central Africa.
•    18 May 2021: visit to Paris by President Tshisekedi for the Summit on the Financing of African Economies.
•    26-27 April 2021: visit to Paris by President Tshisekedi.
•    11-13 November 2019: visit to Paris by President Tshisekedi.
•    21 May 2014: visit to France by President Kabila.
•    13 October 2012: visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo by President Hollande for the Francophonie Summit.
•    26 March 2009: visit to Kinshasa by President Sarkozy (first French presidential visit there since 1984).
•    16-17 July 2008: Official visit to France by President Kabila.

Ministerial visits (since 2015) 

•    20-22 December 2022, visit to Kinshasa by Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, Minister of State for Development, Francophonie and International Partnerships, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
•    23 June 2022: visit to Paris by Christophe Lutundula, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (meeting with Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs).
•    8-9 June 2020: visit to Kinshasa and Goma by Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
•    20 May 2019: visit to Kinshasa by Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
•    24 February 2015: visit to Paris by Raymond Tshibanda, Foreign Minister.

Cultural, scientific and technical cooperation

When it comes to culture and Francophonie, France has four Institut Français branches in the country: in Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Bukavu and Goma. It also has two schools: Lycée René Descartes in Kinshasa, under contract with the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) and Lycée Blaise Pascal in Lubumbashi.