Ebola and peace at the heart of exchanges between Presidents Tshisekedi and Macron

Kinshasa, June 1^st, 2026 (CPA).- The response to Ebola and the strengthening of the economic partnership between the Democratic Republic of Congo and France have been at the centre of a meeting between Presidents Felix Tshisekedi and Emmanuel Macron, according to the French Head of State’s Twitter account, consulted on Monday by CPA. “We have exchanged views on the health situation in the east of his country, in the context of the Ebola virus disease outbreak. We have reaffirmed our commitment to provide a coordinated response to this health crisis,” the President Emmanuel Macron has declared on his official X account. This exchange comes as the Congolese authorities, with the support of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and several international partners continue their efforts in epidemiological surveillance, patient care and raising awareness among affected communities. Beyond health issues, the two heads of state also discussed prospects for economic cooperation between Kinshasa and Paris. The French President has emphasised the shared desire to strengthen bilateral economic relations through greater involvement of the French private sector. “We have also confirmed our ambition to strengthen the partnership between our two countries, particularly in the economic sphere, with the support of our private sector,” has affirmed Emmanuel Macron. This approach is part of DRC’s drive to diversify its economic partnerships in order to attract more investment and support its economic transformation. The discussions have also focused on the security situation in eastern DRC, where several diplomatic initiatives are underway with a view to a lasting return to peace. On this occasion, the French President has reaffirmed his country’s support for efforts aiming to restore the Congolese state’s authority across its entire territory. “France supports the on-going peace efforts to enable the restoration of DRC’s full and complete sovereignty across its entire territory,” has declared President Macron. DRC is currently facing an Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain, mainly in the provinces of Ituri, Nord-Kivu and Sud-Kivu. At the same time, the Congolese authorities are continuing diplomatic and security efforts aiming to restore peace in the east of the country, with the support of several international partners, including France.