Felix Tshisekedi-António Guterres head-to-head: a wind of hope blows over the DRC

At the 32nd AU summit yesterday, the African Heads of State forgot everything and recognized the election of the new President of the DR Congo. Perhaps a new good news for Kinshasa.
Its newly elected President, Felix Tshisekedi, now wears the armband of the 2nd Vice President of the European Union. He was appointed to this position yesterday, Sunday, February 10, at the end of the work of 32nd Summit of this continental organization, in Addis Ababa. The post of 1st vice-president which rightly belonged to Southern Africa was entrusted to the South-African Cyril Ramaphosa.

On the other hand, the Egyptian Abdel Fatah Al-Sissi replaces the Rwandan Paul Kagame. Thus, he becomes 17th President of the African Union for one-year term. The choice of Felix Tshisekedi as 2nd Vice-President of the African Union will not come as a surprise, since this post belonged to Central Africa. Since the mandate was rotating, it was the turn of the countries of Central Africa to introduce the designated person.

This after consultation- in other words, it is not an election in the first sense of the word, where the Congolese President would compete against another Head of State, candidate for the same position. Nothing of the kind- Already, analysts link this designation to the recent round of Felix Tshisekedi, in some countries of the sub-region. Precisely Angola and Congo Brazzaville.

In other words, everything was played during these visits which took place only a few days before the work of the 32nd Summit of the African Union. Interesting for a Head of State who arrives for the first time in business, the designation to this responsibility is not nothing.

Félix Tshisekedi thus received a first international success and so, a big entry into the big leagues. A GREAT COUP In the opinion of some analysts, the choice of the Congolese President as 2nd Vice-President of the African Union is a strong signal that the Pan-African organization sends some "globalists". Singularly those who, continued to surf on the "mutism" of the AU on the election of Fatshi to hope for a new political order in DR Congo-From now on, supporters of this scheme should look elsewhere.

Because, by his "vote" yesterday, the new Congolese President who participated in his very first international meeting, agreed, all his African counterparts present in the Ethiopian capital. From now on, the "storm" is behind Felix Tshisekedi. Everything seems forgotten or almost. The formula used by the Chairman of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki, in his opening statement of the Executive Council, is a perfect illustration of this.

When Moussa Faki says he is satisfied with the "good conduct of the elections (...) in Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of Congo", that is to understand everything. Having arrived for the first time at the top of the state, Felix Tshisekedi had two major challenges in Addis Ababa. The first was the recognition of his power at the continental level. The second challenge was the acceptance of his program.

This is a big project that, in principle, should be in harmony with the African Union's Development Agenda, formerly the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), adopted in Lusaka in Zambia, in 2001. In other words, the new Congolese Head of State should therefore prove to his colleagues that he shares with them, the same vision of the development of the continent. With regard to the first issue, it is necessary to recall the general context of the election of Joseph Kabila's successor. This, both before and after the announcement of the results

In this regard, history will note that the African Union had, at first, expressed serious "doubts" on the announcement of the provisional victory of Félix Tshisekedi by the CENI, before the verdict of the High Court.

By the mouth of its former President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, this continental organization had even asked the Constitutional Court in DR Congo to suspend the further examination of the petition challenging the results of the presidential election, introduced by Martin Fayulu.

At the same time, the African Union announced the arrival of its mission, Monday, January 22 in Kinshasa to try its arbitration. However, the request of the AU was immediately rejected by the Congolese leaders who perceived there, hints of interference in a matter pertaining to the domestic politics of the country.

Morality, the Constitutional Court had finally made its judgment late in the night of Saturday 19 to Sunday, January 20, finally proclaiming Felix Tshisekedi, winner of the presidential election of last December 30. Since then, the African Union, which seemed to favor the option of recounting votes, suggested by Martin Fayulu seemed to be embarking on a kind of arm wrestling with Kinshasa. The opinion will thus have noted it in the first hours which followed the publication of the final results of the poll.

In any case, all the African Presidents had been very reserved, to recognize the victory of Felix Tshisekedi. Except Kenyan Uhuru Kenyatta and his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa and to say that the same attitude of the African presidents was still observed on January 24, during the investiture ceremony of President Felix Tshisekedi.


Although officially invited, African Heads of State with the notable exception of Kenyan Kenyatta - was represented. Who by his vice-president, who by his prime minister, who by his minister of affairs-as of today, the page is turned. Fatshi, who started his term in the African Union since yesterday, proves that he has managed to convince all other African Heads of State.

(CKS/Yes)