Kinshasa, May 5th, 2025 (CPA) – The Congolese Head of State expressed his indignation at the campaign of disinformation about the strategic mining partnership being finalised between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the United States of America to put an end to the war of aggression in the east of the country, during the celebration of International Press Freedom Day in Kinshasa on Monday. ‘To illustrate my point about misinformation, I cannot fail to mention the numerous media manipulations surrounding the strategic partnership being finalized between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the United States of America, concerning the development of our critical minerals. Certain speeches, sometimes relayed unchecked by some sections of the press, are being made in the media about decisions taken by the Democratic Republic of Congo and the United States of America, falsely claiming that our natural resources are being ‘sold off’’, Félix Tshisekedi denounced. ‘These allegations are of course unfounded, but are often part of orchestrated campaigns to weaken our economic sovereignty and undermine our country’s efforts to reposition itself strategically on the world stage’, he added, reiterating his commitment never to sell off his country’s natural resources. ‘I will never, ever sell off the riches of the Democratic Republic of Congo’, President Tshisekedi said, urging the Congolese press to be vigilant so as not to play into the enemy’s hands. He added: ‘I appeal to the conscience of journalists, in such a sensitive context, your responsibility is immense. Please always cross-check your sources, stick to the official canons of information and never, even unwittingly, act as a mouthpiece for the enemy of the country’.
‘In recent years, the country has been the target of fake news, deep fakes and disinformation campaigns, often orchestrated by external actors, aimed at minimizing the crimes committed against our people and diverting the attention of the international community, fuelling mistrust of the institutions of the Republic, fanning divisions within our local communities and weakening our national cohesion’, he concluded. Organized by the Ministry of Communication and Media, the theme of the 32nd World Press Freedom Day celebrations is: ‘The Congolese journalist faced with the challenge of artificial intelligence: information and disinformation at a time of Rwandan aggression’. ACP/