Kinshasa, May 20th, 2026 (CPA). – The Congolese Prime Minister is waited in Paris, in France, to speak on behalf of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on water issues, on the side-lines of African Week 2026 organised from May 19th to 22nd by UNESCO, according to a press release consulted on Wednesday by CPA. “The Prime Minister Judith Suminwa is waited in the French capital to speak on behalf of DRC on water and sustainable development issues, as part of African Week 2026, organised from May 19th to 22nd at UNESCO House,” it is read in a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office. Through this African Week, the source has specified, Kinshasa intends in particular to highlight the strategic role of the Congo Basin, considered as one of the most important freshwater reservoirs in the world and a major actor in the world’s climate balance. According to the statement, these meetings are an important platform to promote stronger African cooperation on issues of water, sanitation and the preservation of natural resources, in a context marked by the effects of climate change and challenges regarding access to drinking water in several regions of the continent.
During this meeting in Paris, DRC also intends to consolidate its status as a ‘solution-oriented country’ in the face of the world’s environmental challenges. With its vast water reserves, considerable hydroelectric potential, exceptional biodiversity and the strategic resources needed for the world’s energy transition, the country aims to play a central role as a major actor in international policies related to sustainable development, the fight against climatic warming and the promotion of renewable energy,” the source has explained. Located at the heart of the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest tropical forest after the Amazon, DRC plays a central role in the preservation of the world’s biodiversity and in African strategies for climate resilience. “Kinshasa thus wants to make the voice heard of an Africa capable of providing concrete solutions to the major environmental challenges of the 21st century,” the statement has added. This edition, chaired by DRC, focused on the theme: “Ensuring sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems to achieve the objectives of Agenda 2063”. Several African political, diplomatic and institutional figures will take part in this major event around the challenges linked to the sustainable management of water resources on the continent. The expected participation of the Prime Minister Judith Suminwa reflects DRC’s ambition to play a leading role in forging a strong African voice on strategic issues related to sustainable development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.ACP/