DRC: Tshisekedi denounces "Rwanda's expansionist tendencies" in his annual speech
Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi, here during a press conference in the presence of his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto, in Kinshasa on November 21, 2022. © Arsène Mpiana / AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi delivered his annual state of the nation address on Saturday, December 10, before the two chambers of Parliament meeting in congress.
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With our correspondent in Kinshasa,
Patient Ligodi
Felix Tshisekedi devoted a good part of his speech to the security situation in his country.
He denounced "
Rwanda's expansionist tendencies
", which he accused of carrying out "
a cowardly attack on the DRC under cover of the M23
".
The Congolese head of state paid tribute to the victims of the
massacre of November 28 and 29 in Kishishe
, North Kivu, and observed a minute of silence for the 131 victims, according to
the provisional report of the UN
.
The Congolese head of state also mentioned the disarmament, demobilization, community recovery and stabilization program (PDDRC-S) and his government favors the reintegration of combatants into the community, rather than into the army or the police.
Despite the accumulated delays, he welcomed some progress made by the PDDRC-S: "
Its implementation is following its normal course and has already recorded some significant progress, in particular the validation of the national strategy and the demobilization of 1,470 men and 43 women whose employment training is in the start-up phase.
»
Firm on the issue, Félix Tshisekedi also congratulated Parliament which, through a recommendation, declared the M23 a "
terrorist group
" and "
prohibited
" the government from integrating its combatants into the defense forces in as part of a possible agreement.
Despite the insecurity, "
the year 2023 will be essentially electoral
"
All these security challenges, according to him, will not have an impact on
the organization of the elections scheduled for December
2023
.
the basis of the calendar published by the Independent National Electoral Commission on November 26, 2022
”, he assured, specifying that the process is 100% financed by the Congolese government.
According to the schedule of the Independent National Electoral Commission (Céni), voter registration should begin on December 24 in the western part of the country.
The Congolese head of state also returned
to the state of siege decreed since May 3, 2021
in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri.
While its effectiveness is questioned by civil society and some MEPs, the President opened the door to a change of course: he announced the forthcoming holding of a round table which could, if necessary, requalify this exceptional security regime.
►
To read also:
DRC: the European Union sanctions several leaders of armed groups
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Felix Tshisekedi
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Elections in the DRC