Visit of the french Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (May 20, 2019)

In a Joint Statement on the occasion of the visit of the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic to the Democratic Republic of Congo, France and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) maintain long-standing, friendship-based relations , trust, cultural and linguistic proximity. 

On the occasion of the visit of the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic to Kinshasa, the two parties agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation. 

On the one hand, France and the DRC want to implement a partnership to support common priorities: education, health and safety. 

On the other hand, France and the DRC reaffirm their willingness to collaborate on important topics: such as the fight against climate change,  the protection of biodiversity in the spirit of the "One Planet Summit" of Nairobi, the strengthening of the Francophonie in all its dimensions. A long-term partnership based on common priorities.

In the field of education, the Congolese population, almost half of whom are under 15, is undoubtedly a significant potential. However, the population must be formed to face the challenges of the future.

Already, the cooperation between the two countries in education has led to the construction of 700 classrooms and the financing of 30,000 Congolese teachers since 2013.

France and the DRC have decided to give a new dimension to this cooperation, especially to train the elites of tomorrow that the DRC needs. This will require reinforced support to the Congolese Administration's major training schools such as the National School of Administration (ENA), the National Institute for Judicial Training (INAFORJ) and the Diplomatic Academy.

The two sides will also continue to work together to support the education reform initiated by the Congolese authorities as part of the actions of the Global Partnership for Education.

In the sector of health, development depends on access to health care. In DRC, reference hospitals, particularly in the area of ​​maternal and child health, will receive enhanced support.

The Ebola outbreak, which has particularly affected Beni, Butembo and part of Ituri for almost ten months, is a major priority. France will continue to promote the joint work of the research institutes to refine knowledge of the virus and will also continue our concerted humanitarian response to increase public awareness and better patient care.

There will also be intensified activities to fight cholera, which continues to affect many Congolese, including through sanitation projects and access to drinking water in impacted areas. 

Finally, France and the DRC are fully committed to the success of the 6th Replenishment Conference of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which will take place in Lyon on October 10, 2019, with a view to mobilizing less $ 14 billion for the period 2020-2022. 

The stabilization of the whole Congolese territory, in particular the East of the country, is a key element to allow the development of the country. It involves an ambitious security sector reform and capacity building of the DRC armed forces (FARDC). To achieve this goal, France have agreed to increase its security and defense cooperation, by intensifying the training of cadres and by setting up training for peace operations. 

France and the DRC have also decided to cooperate on the project to create a Joint Defense College to train future FARDC cadres. France will become more involved in security sector reform through existing multilateral initiatives such as the EU-funded PROGRESS program. 

It should be noted also that France and the DRC are the first two French-speaking countries in the world. They are therefor determined to contribute to strengthening the Francophonie in all its dimensions. The French cultural network which is present in Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Goma, Bukavu and Kisangani will contribute. 

Thay have welcomed in this regard the forthcoming opening of an office of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) in Kinshasa. 

In a vision of a fight against climate change and the protection of biodiversity, three years after the Paris agreement on climate, it was understood that it is their collective duty to deal with the climate emergency. 

"The protection of biodiversity is also a crucial issue for our planet" said the 2 parts in a joint statement. 

The DRC can play a key role in these two issues, ensuring the protection of the Congo Basin, the second largest tropical forest in the world. It is in this spirit that French and Congolese Presidents pledged to respect biodiversity through the conservation and preservation of forests in Africa during the "One Planet Summit" in Nairobi on March 14th.

France and the DRC renew their support for the Central African Forests Initiative (IFAC), to implement sustainable management of the continent's lung, and pledge to carry out joint actions to protect biodiversity and fight against climate change.

In a ways to implement these ambitions to achieve these objectives, France will strengthen its assistance to the DRC by using several instruments, as follows:

- Next debt and development contract, which France and the DRC wish to sign in the near future, of € 65 million over three years;

- The rise of the French Development Agency (AFD), whose grants will reach 30 million euros in 2019 and whose target is 50 million euros for 2020 and 2021;

- The respective contributions to the various international organizations for a total amount of 209 million dollars (without the contribution to the financing of MONUSCO), such as the Global Fund (to which France is the second largest contributor worldwide), or the Alliance for the Vaccine (to which France has contributed 450 million dollars and of which the DRC is one of the first beneficiaries), UNITAID (where France contributes 60%) and the 11th EDF (with an envelope of 650 million euros in the DRC) that make it possible to define a multidimensional action in the DRC.

Cassien Tribunal Aungane, Editor