Facing numerous challenges across the african continent, the president of the democratic republic of the Congo, félix tshisekedi, called on tuesday, june 23, 2026, for stronger collective action and a more assertive defence of africa’s strategic interests on the global stage.
Speaking to the press after a meeting in Kinshasa with his burundian counterpart, évariste ndayishimiye—who also chairs the african union—the congolese head of state emphasised the need for african nations to demonstrate greater coherence and solidarity when tackling contemporary issues.
In this context, félix tshisekedi announced that he had invited president évariste ndayishimiye to attend a high-level un security council meeting that he will chair in the coming weeks in the united states, as part of the democratic republic of the Congo’s presidency of that body in july 2026.
“africa is at a turning point. our continent faces complex security challenges, persistent humanitarian crises, the effects of climate change, global economic pressures, and the immense expectations of our youth. in the face of these challenges, africa must speak with more coherence, act with more solidarity, and defend its strategic interests with more determination. in that spirit, i had the honour of inviting my brother, president évariste ndayishimiye, to take part in the high-level meeting i will soon chair at the un security council, during the drc’s presidency of that council in july, which will focus on the links between natural resources, peace, security and sustainable development,” said félix tshisekedi.
The meeting will examine the connections between natural resources, peace, security, and sustainable development—a theme the congolese leader considers vital for the drc, the great lakes region, and the entire african continent. he expressed confidence that his burundian counterpart’s participation would contribute significantly to the discussions.
“this theme is essential for our country, for the great lakes region, and for the entire african continent. our natural resources must no longer be a source of greed, predation, instability, and conflict. they must become a lever for peace, development, economic sovereignty, industrial transformation, and shared prosperity. i am convinced that the contribution of president ndayishimiye, in his capacity as president of Burundi and chairperson of the african union, will usefully enrich this reflection in the service of our continent,” added félix tshisekedi.
The democratic republic of the Congo is set to assume the presidency of the un security council in july 2026, as part of the monthly rotation among council members. the drc will hold this position after colombia (june) and before denmark (august), following the english alphabetical order of member states. all three countries sit on the security council—the first two as non‑permanent members elected for the 2026‑2027 term.
Since january 2026, the flags of five new non‑permanent un security council members for the 2026‑2027 term have been flying at un headquarters in new york: bahrain, colombia, the democratic republic of the Congo, latvia, and liberia. a ceremonial event on thursday, january 2, 2026, marked the start of their two‑year mandates on the body responsible for deciding peacekeeping operations, sanctions regimes, and political and security responses to international crises.
