Strengthening parliamentary diplomacy: Swedish ambassador received at the Senate of the DRC

Kinshasa, April 23^rd, 2026 (CPA).– The President of the Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) received on Thursday at his office in the People’s Palace in Kinshasa the Ambassador of Sweden to the DRC, Joakim Vaverka, who came to inquire about the development of parliamentary diplomacy between the two countries, according to a statement. “The President of the Senate, Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, granted an audience on Thursday to the Ambassador of Sweden to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral parliamentary cooperation, the security situation in eastern DRC, and support for ongoing institutional reforms,” reads a press release from the upper house of the Congolese Parliament. According to the source, the two officials also addressed issues related to good governance and the role of parliaments in consolidating peace. At the end of the meeting, the Swedish diplomat praised the quality of relations between Stockholm and Kinshasa, reaffirming his country’s willingness to support the DRC in its stabilization and development efforts. He also emphasized the importance of dialogue between the legislative institutions of both countries to share best practices in parliamentary oversight and lawmaking, even though Sweden has a unicameral parliament. The Swedish diplomat expressed the wish to see the Senate President pay an official visit to Stockholm in the coming days. For his part, the Senate President thanked Ambassador Vaverka for the courtesy visit. Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde reiterated the upper house’s commitment to peace, security and the improvement of living conditions of Congolese citizens, in line with the vision of Head of State Félix Tshisekedi Tshilombo. This audience is part of the Senate’s active parliamentary diplomacy aimed at diversifying partnerships and amplifying the DRC’s voice on the international stage, the source concluded.