Kinshasa, July 22nd, 2026 (CPA).- The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) called on Wednesday for the emergence of a new international doctrine that places the governance of natural resources at the heart of the peace and security agenda, during a high-level public debate of the UN Security Council in New York (USA).
“The 21st century is the era of critical minerals, forests, energy, and biodiversity. The question before us is simple: Will we have the wisdom to make these resources the foundation of shared prosperity? (…) Faced with this responsibility, the Democratic Republic of the Congo advocates for the emergence of a new international doctrine that places the governance of natural resources at the heart of the peace and security agenda,” has stated Thérèse Kayikwamba, the Congolese Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the Head of State.
According to President Tshisekedi, this new doctrine must be based on six essential principles, namely: effective respect for states’ permanent sovereignty over their natural resources; transparency in supply chains; the strengthening of mechanisms for traceability, certification, due diligence, and accountability; and the fight against economic impunity. Added to these are the promotion of fair and mutually beneficial partnerships and the local anchoring of this governance.
“This doctrine is based on a simple conviction: natural resources are not mere commodities; they are matters of sovereignty, levers of development, and assets of responsibility upon which the stability of our states and the future of our societies depend,” he has emphasized.
He also called for the protection of communities living in resource-extraction areas, their involvement in decision-making processes, and their share in the benefits derived from the natural resources that constitute their heritage.
“A resource that enriches the world but starves the community that hosts it will sooner or later become a source of frustration, protest, and instability,” he has insisted, while maintaining that natural resources must contribute to financing development, strengthening state capacities, and creating value in producing countries.ACP/