• Security
• Friday, 19 June 2026 – 10:44

The President of the National Assembly, Aimé Boji Sangara, has praised the resilience of populations affected by armed conflicts in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, while firmly reaffirming the stance of the national representation on the country’s unity and territorial integrity.

In his address delivered on Monday, 15 June 2026, marking the closure of the March 2026 ordinary session, he first paid tribute to internally displaced persons and refugees, whose humanitarian situation remains alarming. Addressing the populations of North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri, he conveyed a message of solidarity and hope amid the hardships imposed by armed conflict.

“This is an opportunity to commend the remarkable resilience of our internally displaced compatriots and refugees. Their suffering remains at the heart of the concerns of the National Representation. It is now my duty to extend a message of solidarity and hope to our brothers and sisters in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri, who continue to demonstrate resilience and resistance in the face of trials imposed by Rwandan troops and their allies, the AFC/M23,” he declared.

The President of the lower house, speaking in both Swahili and French, reaffirmed the unbreakable bond between eastern DRC and the rest of the country, asserting that the current occupation cannot be permanent.

“North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri are and will forever remain integral parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a blessed gift and sacred legacy bequeathed to us by our ancestors. We are certain that the illegal occupation suffered by our country in its eastern region is neither definitive nor irreversible. Like all unjust situations in the history of peoples, this barbaric occupation will come to an end.”

Addressing those who advocate for the country’s balkanization, Aimé Boji Sangara warned against any attempt to undermine national unity or the allegiance of populations living in occupied zones. He reaffirmed the unbroken link between Congolese people, despite the current security situation marked by aggression and occupation attributed to the AFC/M23, supported by Rwanda.

“This is the moment to firmly tell all those who believe that our brothers and sisters living in occupied territories can renounce their national allegiance or conspire against the nation that they are mistaken. We remain in perfect communion with them and continue to defend, tirelessly, national unity, territorial integrity, and the sovereignty of our country. Indeed, our greatest weapon against adversity is not merely military; it is above all our deep sense of patriotism, national unity, and resilience,” he emphasized.

He dismissed any attempts to divide or manipulate the populations of eastern DRC and restated the indivisible nature of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as the determination of institutions to defend every inch of the national territory.

“Let the dark forces attacking our country in the East and attempting to mislead our compatriots living in occupied areas know that we will oppose them with an unbreakable wall of solidarity. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one, indivisible, and plural. Whether you are in Goma, Muanda, Gemena, or Lubumbashi, the blood spilled in the East is ours. National unity is not an empty word; it is the foundation of our survival and greatness. Let them be well aware that we will defend every square millimeter of our territory,” he asserted.

The security situation in this part of the country continues to deteriorate. Despite the Washington Agreement, brokered under the aegis of the United States, and the Doha Process, led under the auspices of Qatar with support from the African Union, along with ongoing evaluation meetings, the security and humanitarian situation in eastern DRC remains dire. Civilian populations across the country continue to bear the brunt of violence and forced displacement, exacerbating an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in a global context marked by dwindling funding for humanitarian aid.

In response to this situation, voices have risen at national, regional, and international levels, calling on all stakeholders to honor the commitments made within peace initiatives. However, these appeals have so far yielded little tangible effect. The gap between ground realities and the progress recorded on paper in diplomatic initiatives remains wide. Each party continues to interpret the provisions of agreements according to its own reading, rendering their implementation increasingly uncertain.

Clément Muamba