diplomacy&development

Carter Center's goals The controversial 2018 elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo underscored the urgency of enacting electoral reforms, developed with broad-based consensus, to ensure that the Independent National Election Commission – known by its French acronym, CENI – operates as a transparent, inclusive, and credible organization that instills public confidence in the electoral process. Unfortunately, these goals have been undermined by the political divisions surrounding the National Assembly’s recent confirmation of a new CENI chair. The Carter Center urges President Felix Tshisekedi and other key stakeholders to quickly engage in dialogue to ensure that there is broad consensus on the selection of a CENI chair and on other key electoral reforms. In its report on the 2018 elections, The Carter Center recommended a series of substantive institutional, legal, and policy reforms for Congolese stakeholders to consider in advance of the 2023 elections. The

Félix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Dénis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo Félix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Dénis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo have agreed on the repatriation of Congolese refugees from the community violence in Yumbi based in the locality of Makoti Poko. It was after a 24-hour visit by the head of state RDC  to his counterpart in Congo Brazza. During the meeting of the 38th Council of Ministers in the DRC on July 3, mention was made of the request of the residents of Yumbi, settled in Congo-Brazzaville, following the violence of 2018, to return to their locality. According to the Congolese ambassador stationed in Brazzaville, they are experiencing "enormous difficulties and in particular food needs".  The President of the DRC also instructed Marie Ntumba Nzeza, Congolese Minister of State in charge of Foreign Affairs, to take stock

François Pujolas, the French Ambassador in DRC handing over 3,000 comics to raise awareness against epidemics, to Grégoire Mateso president of the Congolese RD Red Cross and Thibaud Saint Sébastien, chief of French Red Cross delegation This Thursday, July 16, 2020, the French Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, François Pujolas, handed over 3,000 comics to raise awareness against epidemics, to Grégoire Mateso president of the Congolese RD Red Cross and Thibaud Saint Sébastien, chief of French Red Cross delegation.  Designed in partnership with the Congolese RD Ministry of Health, the Rfi RDC Club, the Crisis Center and Support of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the insurance company Action Humanitarian France, the scenario of this comic is inspired by the realities of the campaign “NANDIMI- NAMIBATELI- NABATELI” conducted in the Democratic Republic of Congo by the Club RFI Goma, on community ownership of government and humanitarian actions in the

China firmly opposes the US side's decision to pass the so-called "Hong Kong Self-Government Law" and strongly condemns it, according to a statement released on Wednesday on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  China will take the necessary responses to protect its legitimate interests and impose sanctions on the personnel and concerned entities of the United States, the statement said. Xinjiang supply chain council of the United States is "grossly distorted" (spokesperson). So-called Xinjiang supply chain business advice issued by several US departments is "a serious distortion of the facts," a ministry spokesman said on Tuesday. The nature of the Xinjiang issues has nothing to do with the so-called "human rights problems" preached by the United States, but relates to the fight against terrorism and secession, said the spokesperson.  The United States Department of State and several other departments have put toget

François Pujolas, Ambassador of France  to the Democratic Republic of the Congo Dear compatriots, dear Congolese friends, On July 14 of each year France celebrates its National Holiday.  It’s an opportunity to remember his motto: freedom, equality, fraternity. In the particular context of the health crisis linked to covid-19, this motto takes on its full meaning.  First of all, I would like to pay tribute to the victims of this disease, salute the resilience of the Congolese population in this ordeal and say the gratitude of the French community towards the health personnel mobilized against the coronavirus and more broadening of the all public services and private actors who contribute to the response.  This global crisis spares no one; This is the meaning of the message carried at the highest level by several countries including France and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on April 15 and whose air humanitarian bridge with Europe, set up on June 8 in Kinshasa an

Mr. Nkontchou has always provided the Board with his rich experience and we look forward to his solid leadership while wishing him every success. The main pan-African banking group, Ecobank (www.Ecobank.com), welcome the appointment of Mr. Alain Nkontchou, of Cameroonian nationality, independent non-executive director since 2015, as Chairman of the Board of Directors of his holding company, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), as of June 30, 2020.  In accordance with the statutes of ETI, Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh, a Nigerian national, retired on June 30, 2020, after the expiration of his six-year term at the head of the Board of Directors and having reached the age of 70.  Alain Nkontchou said: “I am honored by my appointment as President of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated. As a member of its Board of Directors since 2015, I noted the resilience of Ecobank and its memorable past, built on foundations that have succeeded in the Bank's success in the long term. I a

China's State Council Information Office released a white paper titled "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action" in early June.  The white paper chronicles China's all-hands-on-deck response to the public health emergency, showing what makes a responsible major country in the face of a crisis. The country deserves credit for its efficiency in messaging the epidemic dynamics to its people as well as its timeliness and transparency in terms of information sharing with the international community because what it has done greatly helped both the domestic and global fights against the virus. The hard truth laid bare in this pandemic tells people that humanity needs to form an effective, cooperative, and transparent system for global public health governance. Countries should strengthen cooperation in building a community with a shared future for humankind and optimize the system for epidemic information sharing to safeguard the lives of the planet's human population.