Credit:  Gary Raynaldo  / ©Diplomatic Times /   U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo meets with Democratic Republic of the Congo President Felix Tshisekedi, at the Department of State, Washington D.C.  March 3, 2020.

By Gary Raynaldo       DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

WASHINGTON  –  DEPARTMENT OF STATE  –  Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met with Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi  Tuesday in Washington, DC and discussed strengthening ties between the United States and the DRC in the year since the country’s historic peaceful transfer of power.  They pledged to work together to advance the U.S.-DRC Privileged Partnership for Peace and Prosperity which launched after President Tshisekedi visited Washington D.C. last April.  Secretary Pompeo expressed support for President Tshisekedi’s reform agenda to tackle corruption, strengthen democratic institutions, improve human rights, end impunity, combat trafficking in persons, and promote peace in eastern DRC.    “The Secretary also reiterated our steadfast support for Congolese efforts to end the ongoing Ebola outbreak and to enhance partnership on the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA),”  according to a statement  from  Department of State  Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus.

DRC President Invites US To Support Nation’s Peaceful Change In Power Through Strong, Strategic Partnership

Credit:  Gary Raynaldo  / ©Diplomatic Times /   U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo meets with Democratic Republic of the Congo President Felix Tshisekedi, at the Department of State, Washington D.C.  March 3, 2020.

Tshisekedi was sworn in as the DR Congo’s President January 24,  2019.  DRC  has never experienced peaceful transition of power since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960.  Tshisekedi invited the US  to support his country’s historic, peaceful change in power through a strong,  strategic partnership.  Shortly after taking office,  Tshisekedi visited the  US in April 2019  seeking to develop a strong relationship with America.   Secretary of State Pompeo expressed contined support for President Tshisekedi’s change agenda  and attracting American investment in the DRC.

Photo by Gary Raynaldo /   President of Democratic Republic of Congo Felix Tshisekedi  speaks at Council on Foreign Relations forum Washington D.C. April 4, 2019.

“What happen on December  30,  2018,  a miracle took place,  it was  a historic moment. This was an event that took place that allowed us to have a change of power, that was done in a peaceful manner. And something quite rare in Africa, allowed us to bring in a person from an opposing party…who came from party that was radically opposed to President in power, so this was a historic moment.”

-DR Congo President Tshisekedi remarks at Council on Foreign Relations Washington D.C. Apr. 4, 2019. 

Tshisekedi spoke at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington D.C.  April 2019 during which he laid out his vision for a new DR Congo and called for a strategic partnership with the United States.

“I am here to ask our traditional partners including the United States,  to help us and continue to support us, so we can make sure this fragile equilibrium become more solid, and allows the DRC  to finally become a democratic republic, and  to become a democracy, and to make the transition  from the  time  where we had single party, and deputies took many risks to overthrow the dictatorial rule at the time ,   and to obtain in our country the foundation of  of law and democracy.”

“Given that the US is a country that knows the DRC very well, and has been a partner even before colonization, I believe the US is an idea partner to help us to undertake this great adventure.”

-DR Congo President Tshisekedi