DRC: King Philippe of Belgium arrived in Kinshasa for a six-day visit

The King of the Belgians, Philippe, and the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi at Kinshasa airport, June 7, 2022. © ARSENE MPIANA/AFP

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King Philippe of Belgium has arrived in Kinshasa for a week-long visit to the DRC, the first by a Belgian ruler for twelve years.

The royal couple were greeted at the airport by President Tshisekedi and his wife.

The representatives of the constituted bodies were present.

On the other hand, the Congolese population did not move en masse to welcome the sovereign of Belgium.

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With our special correspondent in Kinshasa,

Claire Fages

The Belgian royal couple, Philippe and Mathilde descended the gangway of the military plane hand in hand shortly after 3 p.m.

An image that we had not seen at Kinshasa airport since 2010 and the visit of Albert II.

President Félix Tshisekedi and his wife Denise were waiting for them with two little girls dressed in white and laden with bouquets.

Together they walked the red carpet to greet the Congolese and Belgian ministers present, as well as the presidents of the National Assembly and the Congolese Senate, all in the presence of the presidential guard and dancers, accompanied by an orchestra. 

They then went to the Presidential Pavilion at the airport for a refreshment.

Félix and Denise Tshisekedi were all smiles as much as Philippe, Mathilde and Alexander de Croo, the Belgian Prime Minister, obviously all very happy with

this reunion

, postponed for two years.

Few people around the airport

On the other hand, it was not the crowd outside the airport to welcome the royal couple.

Only a few thousand people, activists mobilized by the parties of the ruling coalition, displayed the flags of their political party or their leader.

A few thousand activists from the ruling coalition gathered at the exit of Ndjili airport to welcome the King of Belgium.

“He comes to macadamise our power, that of concrete Fatshi”, a sixty-year-old told me.

#DRC🇨🇩

— Pascal Mulegwa (@pascal_mulegwa) June 7, 2022

►Also read: Congolese expectations of the visit of Philippe, King of Belgium

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  • ground floor

  • Belgium

  • Philip of Belgium

  • Felix Tshisekedi