The French MP, Aurélien Taché, while on a visit to the DRC, criticized on Monday after a meeting at the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Francophonie in Kinshasa the behavior of the Secretary-General of La Francophonie regarding the aggression of the DRC by her country.

"The International Organisation of La Francophonie must be clear: the SG, even if she is Rwandan, must be much clearer about what is happening in the east and about the condemnation of the violations of international law in the DRC," stressed Aurélien Taché, following the discussions with the Congolese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Crispin Mbadu Phanzu.

Aurélien Taché further explained: "I share your concern. You can count on us to strongly emphasize that in the DRC, a stronger position is expected from francophone countries regarding what is happening here."

The French parliamentarian added: "I have also discussed with the deputy minister the question of La Francophonie because I am in the DRC to conduct a mission on the future of La Francophonie and the links that can be established between Francophone countries, for instance, vis-à-vis Anglophone countries."

According to Aurélien Taché, the Congolese deputy minister of Foreign Affairs and Francophonie revisited issues of peace, democracy, and the expectations of the DRC vis-à-vis the role of the OIF in relation to the conflict in the east of the country which he considers insufficient today.

Regarding the indifference of francophone countries towards the Rwandan aggression that the DRC is a victim of, the French deputy noted: "I don’t think there’s a good explanation for that; it’s a reality, you ask me the question and I am not going to tell you it’s false; but I think it has to change, and when I explain myself in the National Assembly as a deputy, I remind them of what you're saying every time." Moreover, he specified that he will report back to the National Assembly in France.

As for the deputy minister of Foreign Affairs, he stated: "We thank France for the unambiguous position it has recently taken, but we would have wished that at the institutional level, La Francophonie could take a clear position and support us in finding a solution to this unjust war imposed on us by Rwanda."

"We clearly understood that for you in the DRC, for the ministers, my Congolese parliamentary colleagues whom I have met, it was a priority, and I personally share it." During these exchanges, the Congolese Minister of Foreign Affairs presented to his guest the expectations of the DRC vis-à-vis the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) in relation to the conflict in the east of the country.

Boni Tsala