Kinshasa, November 5th, 2021 (CPA) – The President of the Republic Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo returned to Kinshasa on Thursday after a state mission in Israel, followed by participation in G20 meetings in Rome, in Italy and at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow, Scotland.
On his arrival at N’Djili international airport, the Head of State Felix Tshisekedi, accompanied by his wife, was greeted, at the bottom of the bridge in particular, by the President of the National Assembly, Mboso N ‘ Kodia Puanga and the President of the Senate Modeste Bahati Lukwebo, Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, deputies and senators members of the Sacred Union of the Nation, members of the government as well as the governor of Kinshasa city and personalities political and military.
After a brief meeting in the presidential lounge, with the presidents of two chambers of Parliament and the 1st vice-president of the National Assembly, the presidential couple greeted the population, who had come in large numbers with banners and other banners, bearing their effigy, welcome and congratulate him on his brilliant performance at G20 summit and at COP26.
President of Israel salutes the leadership of President Felix Tshisekedi
During a face to face at the Israeli presidential palace in Jerusalem, with President Isaac Herzog, the latter praised in his speech the leadership of President Felix Tshisekedi for the future of Africa and DRC, before showing the admiration of his country.
With Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Head of State Felix Tshisekedi discussed issues of the partnership between Kinshasa and Jerusalem, particularly at the diplomatic, political, security level as well as in the agriculture, infrastructure and digital sectors.
The President of the Republic had the pleasure of discovering military vehicles, ambulances and motorcycles which will have to be delivered soon to DRC.
World leaders agree to reduce public debt for weakest economies
Leaders of powerful world economies agreed to ease the public debt of weaker economies at the close of G20 summit.
They thus retained the agreement in principle adopted at May 2021 summit in Paris, before approving the reform of international taxation, which provides for a minimum taxation of 15% on multinationals with the objective of implementing by 2023.
They are unanimous, regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, to pay particular attention to African countries, through facilitations to obtain vaccines and/or produce them on site.
These leaders also recognized the role played by Africa, and particularly DRC, in the global issue of global warming.
On the sidelines of G20 summit, the Head of State Felix Tshisekedi, who represented the African continent in his capacity as current President of the African Union (AU), had fruitful bilateral talks with, in particular, the President of the States. United of America, Joe Biden, French Emmanuel Macron, Italian Mattarella as well as with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and United Nations General Secretary, Antonio Guterres.
According to the twitter of the American embassy in Kinshasa, American President Joe Biden praised the efforts of President Felix Tshisekedi in the promotion of transparency, the fight against corruption and respect for human rights as well as for the promotion of peace and security in Africa.
The two Presidents also spoke of the imperative to protect the rainforest of the Congo Basin, the second largest rainforest in the world, to achieve the global goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The one-on-one meeting with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the French Embassy in Rome, in the presence of outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel, was part of the preparations for the French presidency of the Council of the European Union from June 2022.
In a tweet, President Macron said « to share so many challenges in terms of economy, mobility, security and ecology. The Europe-Africa partnership will be one of the objectives of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union « .
With United Nations General Secretary Antonio Guterres, Felix Tshisekedi reviewed several current issues, including management of the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine supply and production capacity for African countries as well as the issue of peace in Africa.
In a face to face with the Italian Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, President Felix Antoine Tshisekedi informed his interlocutor of the results of the first investigations into the assassination on Congolese soil of the Italian ambassador Luca Atanasio ”.
The two personalities also raised the possibility of Italian investments in DRC. Rome and Kinshasa wish to revive the once prosperous economic cooperation between the two countries.
Signing of an agreement for the protection of DRC’s forest for 10 years
President Felix Tshisekedi and Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom have signed, on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), a 10-year commitment (2021-2031) to protect the forest of DRC, the 2nd largest forest in DRC, according to a joint declaration, on the sidelines of the COP26.
This multi-donor agreement will initially unlock USD 500 million of investments on the ground, for the first five years.
Several industrialized countries and international organizations have announced funding of at least USD 1.5 billion in support of the Congo Basin countries to protect forests, its peatlands and other carbon stores essential for the planet.
Call for resource mobilization to support African states
In his speech on the 2nd day of the work of COP26, the Head of State Felix Tshisekedi called for the mobilization of resources, in order to support African states on the front line of climate change.
“The Adaptation Acceleration Program intends to mobilize USD 12.5 billion, in addition to the USD 12.5 billion already committed by the African Development Bank (ADB) for adaptation by 2025”, he said, before expressing the hope that this mechanism will promote the disbursement of the significant part of USD 100 billion per year promised to developing countries.
Regarding DRC, he said that the country has invested in a particular approach, by combining the development of its mineral resources with that of essential infrastructure, adding that it is preparing with Africa to engage in immediate discussions on a portfolio of projects for concrete and catalytic investments, transcending all possible and imaginable obstacles until their realization.
For him, innovative solutions are possible, as long as the leaders of donor and recipient countries show the firm will.
ACP /Lys
