Kinshasa, May 7th, 2025 (CPA) – The European Union’s courageous and consistent stance in support of international law was hailed by the Democratic Republic of Congo at a conference in Kinshasa on Wednesday, ahead of the commemoration of Europe Day on May 9th each year. ‘I would like to salute the courageous and constant position of the European Union (EU) in support of international law and the dignity of countries’, said Gracia Yamba, Congolese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Commenting on the theme of the day, ‘Diplomacy as a vehicle for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the world’, the deputy foreign minister said that it was a shared responsibility. ‘Peace diplomacy, the central theme of this day, is more than an ideal. It is a shared responsibility. Together, through dialogue and cooperation, we can pave the way for a common future based on respect, solidarity and shared prosperity’, she added, before pointing out that this day is all the more relevant in the context in which the Democratic Republic of Congo is facing Rwandan aggression.
‘It is all the more relevant in a context where the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to face this act of aggression and atrocity, particularly on the part of Rwanda and its AFC-M23 supporters’, stressed Ms. Gracia Yamba. She added, however, that this diplomacy for peace, which illustrates the importance and solidarity of the partnership between the DRC and the European Union, is part of Europe Month, offering a valuable opportunity to celebrate the friendship between the European Union and the diplomatic Republic of Congo. ‘This day illustrates, through your numerous presence, the importance and solidarity of the partnership that unites our two entities. A partnership nourished by shared values, common struggles and a convergent vision of a peaceful and sustainable future’, the deputy minister emphasized. Ms. Yamba also expressed the hope that this conference would provide new ideas for building a more stable and united world together. ‘I hope that the discussions at this conference will bring new ideas, well-founded convergences and a common impetus to build together a more stable, fairer and more united world’, concluded the Deputy Foreign Minister. Established in 1985 by the European Council at its meeting in Milan, Europe Day is an international day celebrated on 9 May in the Member States of the European Union to commemorate the Schuman Declaration of May 9th, 1950. This speech, made before the birth of the European Economic Community, is considered to be the founding text of the Union. ACP/