President of Congo: Collective security begins with respecting international law

Written by Ziad Abdel Fattah:

The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix-Antoine ChisakediHe stated that achieving collective security requires adherence to international law, fulfillment of international commitments, and putting an end to the policy of impunity, during his participation in the opening of the third World Peace Summit of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, which was hosted by the Angolan capital, Luanda, on Thursday.

In his address to the summit, Tshisekedi stressed that the Democratic Republic of Congo speaks of peace not only from the perspective of its suffering from wars, but also from the perspective of its belief that its strategic location and great potential give it a pivotal role in supporting regional stability, promoting collective security, and advancing common development paths in the Central African region.

The Congolese president also praised Angola's mediation efforts to help calm tensions in the Great Lakes region, stressing the importance of political solutions and dialogue in addressing regional conflicts.

This year’s summit was held under the slogan “A Call for Peace: Ending Wars and Respecting International Law,” with the participation of a number of heads of state and government, former leaders, representatives of international and regional organizations, as well as religious figures, representatives of civil society, and young people and women active in the field of peacebuilding.

The summit focuses on exploring ways to promote a culture of peace, strengthen respect for international law, and support international efforts aimed at resolving conflicts and building more stable and secure societies.

In another context, the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has cast a shadow over plans to expand the mineral partnership between the United States and Congo, after it disrupted negotiations and field visits related to American investments in the mining sector, according to Reuters, citing four informed sources.

According to the sources, the health restrictions and quarantine measures imposed to combat the spread of the virus, which has killed about 800 people, did not directly affect the ongoing mining operations within the strategic partnership agreement between the two countries, but they did hinder talks on expanding the partnership.

The United States and Congo signed a strategic partnership agreement in 2025, as part of Washington’s efforts to strengthen its presence in the vital minerals sector and compete with China’s growing influence in Congo’s huge reserves of copper and cobalt.