DRC-France partnership: France supports the training of new Congolese deputies

Jeanine Mabunda, President of the DRC National Assembly

The elections of December 30, 2018 in the DRC allowed the renewal of the country's executive and legislative bodies. 

At the National Assembly, the arrival of a large number of neo-deputies, of all tendencies, has profoundly renewed the Chamber. As soon as the new legislature was installed in September 2019, France undertook to support the capacity building of new deputies through training (legal science, public speaking, role of parliamentary assistant, relationship with administered, etc.) and the production of a practical guide for Congolese parliamentarians. 

This support from France is part of the DRC-France partnership renewed during the meeting between Presidents Tshisekedi and Macron, in Paris, last November. The activities related to this project are carried out by the Institute for Alternatives and Citizen Initiatives for Democratic Governance and in collaboration with the network of young Congolese parliamentarians. 

On September 21, 2020, Mr. François Pujolas, Ambassador of France in the DRC, participated in the launching ceremony of a training session chaired by Ms. Jeanine Mabunda, President of the National Assembly, as well as the opening of the practical guide for Congolese parliamentarians, in the presence of the Honorable Auguy Kalonji, president of the network of young parliamentarians of the DRC. As François Pujolas recalled, "the partnership between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and France is global, it thus covers many aspects of the political and social life of our two countries, including parliamentary activity". 

The French Ambassador took this opportunity to salute the reform efforts of the President of the National Assembly and in particular her wish to deepen parliamentary diplomacy. 

He also paid tribute in particular to his commitment to human rights, the fight against corruption and even the improvement of the business climate, during his speech for the opening of the parliamentary session, on 15 last September.

Cassien Tribunal Aungane, Editor