Kinshasa, May 27th, 2021 (CPA) – The Deputy Prime Minister, Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs, Christophe Lutundula Apala Pen’Atala, instructed the General Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the Director-Chief of General Services to urgently set up a structure to reflect on the reform of the Ministry in charge of Foreign Affairs of DRC, this sector called to adapt to the international context.
The head of Congolese diplomacy, who said it Tuesday during a working session with the union bench of his ministry, insisted on the urgency of the reform of the Ministry in charge of Foreign Affairs to adapt it to developments of the conjuncture of international politics.
He undertook on this occasion to meet once a month with the union delegation to jointly examine the files relating to the smooth running of the ministry, before promising his involvement in certain files according to the means of his policy.
Deputy Prime Minister Christophe Lutundula, on this occasion, pledged his collaboration with all the agents and executives of his ministry for its smooth operation. « We are going to work together », said the head of Congolese diplomacy in substance.
For his part, the president of the union bench, Benoit Mutiku, said he was satisfied with the meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Christophe Luntudula.
“The first weapon of diplomacy is negotiation. And when we have a minister of the caliber of Christophe Lutundula who says that he will continue to meet with us, that he will negotiate with us, it is a source of pride… It is when there is negotiation that everything is tense”, said the president of the union bench.
Reacting to the reform announced by the Deputy Prime Minister, the president of the union bench said he was also satisfied with this announcement: « It is a source of pride, these are the problems that we have been mulling over for a long time. In all foreign ministries around the world, we adapt to changing international political conditions. So the reform is a good thing, we can only do that, otherwise we will stay on the sidelines of the evolution of the planet, it is not good « .
Long before, the union representatives had explained to Deputy Prime Minister Christophe Lutundula the major problems plaguing the Ministry in charge of Foreign Affairs, before asking his involvement for appropriate solutions.
These include, among others, the draft organic law on diplomacy, the revival of the Diplomatic Academy, respect for the powers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by other ministries and State services, collaboration between the cabinet of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the administration, salaries and bonuses of officials and executives of the ministry, contracts to be signed with third parties on the printing of passports, the monopoly of the granting of electronic visas, remuneration new units, transport of executives and agents, equipping offices with appropriate furniture and computer equipment, management of diplomatic lounges at Ndjili international airport and at Beach Ngobila.
All these problems and needs are recorded in two specifications submitted to Deputy Prime Minister Christophe Lutundula.
This meeting was attended by the Deputy Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs, Samy Adubango Awotho, his Director of Cabinet, Ileka Atoki, the General Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Dominique Kilufiya Kamfwa, and the Director of General Services, Kashadile Bukasa Muteba. ACP / Mulonda