Congo’s ecological plea at Yaoundé summit amid Rwanda tension
- Politics
The Francophonie’s parliamentary assembly convened in Yaoundé from July 6 to 11, bringing together over 300 parliamentarians from 42 national and regional assemblies. Among them, Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Kyenge, President of Congo’s Senate, delivered a keynote address emphasizing two critical priorities: climate action and the ecological fallout from regional conflicts.
Representing President Félix Tshisekedi’s vision, Senator Sama Lukonde positioned the Democratic Republic of Congo as a ‘solution country’—a nation whose vast natural resources and proactive policies could anchor global climate resilience. He spotlighted the Congo Basin, Earth’s second-largest tropical rainforest, and outlined the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor, a monumental initiative spanning over 500,000 km² aimed at bolstering climate mitigation efforts worldwide.
Yet beneath this environmental stewardship lies a sobering reality: decades of instability have crippled Congo’s ability to safeguard its ecosystems. In his address, Senator Sama Lukonde squarely blamed Rwanda for what he termed an ‘unjust aggression’ perpetrated through the M23-AFC rebel alliance. The senator condemned the ecological devastation wrought by war—mass deforestation, wildlife extinction, waterway pollution, and the displacement of communities that have long depended on these fragile resources.
“No climate balance is possible when war ravages and strips natural wealth without restraint.”
He urged Francophonie members to move beyond symbolic solidarity, advocating for tangible support to implement the Washington Accords and the establishment of a climate-focused Francophone pact. Such a pact, he argued, must prioritize the needs of forest-adjacent communities and ensure their inclusion in climate decision-making. The senator also announced Congo’s endorsement of Julianna Lumumba’s candidacy for the Francophonie leadership.
The 51st APF session, hosted at Cameroon’s National Assembly and Senate, featured intensive commission work on political, economic, and environmental challenges facing the Francophone world. Parallel to this, the 11th Francophonie Youth Parliament convened 61 delegates from 29 sections, including representatives from the International Organisation of La Francophonie and the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie, reinforcing the youth’s role in shaping a sustainable future.
Clément Muamba
