If a country could develop with beautiful speeches, DRC would be very advanced

[Congo]

During the Second Republic, some used to say: “If a country could develop with beautiful speeches, Zaire by Mobutu would be very advanced”. The Congolese political actors of the Third Republic also seem to embark on this path of fine speeches. The President of the Republic, Félix Tshisekedi, will send his greetings to the population on the evening of December 31, 2019, his predecessor, Joseph Kabila of the FCC, also intends to do so. Martin Fayulu and Moise Katumbi also have the same intentions, one on the occasion of the commemoration of the year One of the “confiscation of his power” and the other, on the occasion of the official release of his mega “Together for the Republic” party. At the end of this effervescent year, will there be something new under the sun in the DRC?

A few days earlier, on Friday December 13, 2019, President Tshisekedi announced, in front of the Deputies and Senators gathered in Congress, great actions throughout the year 2020 which is looming. He would be determined to materialize this leitmotif bequeathed by his late father: “The people first”.

However, this same people continues to languish in abject poverty and is deprived of end-of-year festivities because of the socio-economic slump, the non-payment of many state officials. Will the political and biological son of the Limete Sphinx know how to cheer them up?

In the same State of the Nation address, Tshisekedi vowed not to touch the intangible provisions of the Constitution. However, to facilitate the task at the Directorate General of Migration and, above all, the Congolese diaspora, he proposed to parliamentarians to revisit article 10 of the Constitution and other provisions in order to resolve the nagging question of the Double nationality. The Head of State also recommends a return to the second presidential election to better decide between the protagonists and give them great legitimacy. Without forgetting the election of provincial governors by direct universal suffrage.

For his part, Joseph Kabila already seems to apply his proximity strategies with the population that he recommended to his FCC companions during the political retreat of Mbuela Lodge, a hotel in Kisantu (Kongo-Central). Some sources report that the outgoing President of the Republic, a few days before Christmas, distributed gifts in kind and in cash to the Tshatshi military camp. To each family, the FCC leader would have given a 25-kilo bag of rice, a carton of chickens and a sum of 300,000 Congolese francs. History to prepare his return to the Palace of the Nation. The Kabilists are also considering institutional, but above all constitutional, reforms. Nothing to do with the constitutional revisions proposed by Félix Tshisekedi but to encourage the return to power of their moral authority and to unlock certain intangible provisions.

On the other hand, during their brief stay in Beni, tenors of the Lamuka Coalition including Martin Fayulu hammered that “the evil of this country is called Joseph Kabila”. The man of “the truth of the polls” will also send a message to the nation on this day of December 30, 2019, coinciding with the year One of the “confiscation of his power” by the “CENI and the Court Constitutional of Kabila ”. Lamuka also plans large-scale actions on the ground to block the way for usurpers of power he does not recognize. A plan to end the crisis was contacted by this radical opposition, in particular the holding of early elections at the presidential level and the establishment of a High Council for institutional reforms. A great effervescence will be observed in Kinshasa during this popular meeting.

Finally, Moise Katumbi and Pierre Lumbi are preparing the official release of the mega party “Together for the Republic”. The businessman and president of Almighty Mazembe also intends to give, on this occasion, his vision of a great Congo. He recognizes that the population no longer takes any credit for withdrawing their confidence in the political class. Katumbi also advocates a “real break”. Many expect him to decline his vision.

These four crossed visions will, without a doubt, keep the enthusiasts of political life in suspense. But most of the Congolese are waiting for a more beautiful Congo to be built than before.

[Congo]

construction of an industrial complex for processing drinking water

Water is life, they say. The Head of State, Félix Tshisekedi, still in his vision of making the social of Congolese viable, proceeded, this Monday, December 23, 2019, to the laying of the first stone for the construction of an industrial complex for processing drinking water in Binza-Ozone in the municipality of Ngaliema. Which infrastructure will cost almost USD 59,415,799.96 in total.

This industrial complex, which will capture raw water on the Congo River, will have an estimated production capacity of more than 3 × 120,000 m3.

The owner of this social work is Regideso SA. The control will be carried out by the Chinese company IGIP-ANTEA-VSI-Africa. And, WIETEC / China, another company from China, will execute the works which will take 23 months.

For his part, the Director General of Regideso, Clément Mubiayi, in his speech, thanked God and thanked the Head of State for his involvement in the rapid realization of this project which will, certainly, have a positive impact on the head of the population. He stressed that this is a promise made by the Head of State, faced with the shortage of drinking water supply in the western part of Kinshasa, during his inauguration.

Clément Mubiayi indicated that this complex will include several facilities in order to promote the service not only of water but of drinking water. “A drinking water treatment plant that will include a water supply and distribution tower that will be built, in one go, for total capacity. Second, the treatment chain facilities for the first phase of 110,000 mm3 per day including procurators, sand filters, treated water tanks, etc. “Explained the DG, before adding that this plant will also include a pumping station for treated water, the chemical storage building and dosing of these products. “The water will be taken from the Congo River at a distance of 75m in height where a raw water pumping station will be erected and this water will be brought to the treatment plant by a pipe of 805m in diameter and 3km long. , passing through Camp Colonel Tshatshi, “said Clément Mubiayi.

In the process, the Minister of State in charge of Hydraulic resources and electricity, Eustache Muhanzi let understand that There will be no interruption in the supply of drinking water this week in Kinshasa, as was relayed in some media and social networks, by the Regideso intersyndicale. “The Government is closely monitoring the situation and reiterates its desire to support Regideso, in its vital mission which is that of providing drinking water to the population, because, water is life, it is said. There is therefore no need to panic unnecessarily. Drinking water supplies will be purchased and water will continue to flow through our faucets, “said Minister Muhanzi.

[Congo]

New Ambassadors to DRC Present their credentials to Félix Tshisekedi

Within the framework of bilateral cooperation relations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and China, Iran and Algeria, the Head of State received letters of credence from the respective ambassadors of these countries. It was this Tuesday, January 14, 2020, at the Palace of the Nation. Messrs. Zhu Jing, Mohammad Javad Shariati and Djouama Toufik, new extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassadors from the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Democratic and People’s Republic of Algeria, respectively, in the DR. Congo, presented their credentials to Félix Tshisekedi, in a traditional ceremony.

This is the second ceremony of its kind for Félix Tshisekedi since he took office, after the one in which he received in October 2019, the credentials of seven ambassadors, including 6 European and 1 African. All these new legates from their respective countries in the Democratic Republic of Congo are the first of the FATSHI era, which has engaged in the exercise of strengthening diplomatic relations.

Experience profiles

The Chinese Zhu Jing began his diplomatic career in 1995 as an official at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He then worked as attaché, third secretary, deputy director in the Department of African Affairs at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2000 to 2007). From 2015 to 2019, he was Advisor, Deputy Director General in the Department of European Affairs at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before being appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to the DRC.

Mohammad Javad Shariati, Iran’s new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the DRC, was born on May 17, 1970 in Tehran (Iran). He is also the Ambassador-designate of his country accredited to the Central African Republic. He has a Masters degree in International Law. A career diplomat at his country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he exercises the functions of, in particular, director of the Cooperation and Religious, Cultural, Arts and Sports Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

From 1996 to 1997, he served as political expert for the Union of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Caucasus. Married and father of 2 children, he speaks Persian and French, with a knowledge of English and Russian.

Djouama Toufik is the new extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of the Democratic and People’s Republic of Algeria in the DRC. Born March 09, 1969 in Algeria, he graduated from the National School of Administration in Algiers. He holds a law degree and a master’s degree in international law and international relations.

In 1995, he was recruited as Secretary of Foreign Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Algiers. From 2012 to 2015, he served as deputy director in charge of specialized institutions and operational activities of the United Nations system in Algeria, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2015 to 2019 he was Minister Counselor, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Algiers in Geneva.

Foreign Minister Marie Tumba Nzeza attended the ceremony.

Let us remember, however, that the Head of State, Félix Tshisekedi, practically devoted the first year of his mandate to the consolidation of diplomatic relations with countries of all continents, but also the various international organizations and structures, mainly of a character financial. It is in this way, he is convinced, that the country will regain its supremacy at other times and the influx of potential investors in various fields.

[Congo]

speculation in the prices of necessities in the various markets of the country

The government of the Republic, through the Ministry of the Economy, has adopted a number of measures to end the surge and speculation in the prices of basic necessities in the various markets of the country. These include, among other things, the revitalization of the monitoring committee for essential products, the establishment of synergy between the productive or sectoral ministries, and the establishment of regular price controls with economic operators with a view to to impose sanctions on speculators.

These measures were announced by the Minister of Economy, at the end of her visit, last Saturday, to the markets of La Liberté, Somba Zigida, Gambela and the Grand Marché located in Kinshasa, to feel the finger reality of food prices on the ground.

Before their application, Acacia Bandubola said, they were proposed by his ministry to the government and approved by the 18th Council of Ministers which met on Friday, January 31.

While reassuring of the imminent fall in the prices of basic necessities, she also called on the population to be patient.

“The government of the DRC, through the governance of the Prime Minister who is putting solutions in place to meet the vision of the Head of State is finding adequate solutions, cyclical solutions [short term, editor’s note] but especially structural, so that the problem is definitively eradicated. We just have to be patient because we are working from the perspective of the people first. This is our creed, this is our mission ” , said A. Bandubola.

* The causes of the soaring prices of essential products on the markets *

According to the Ministry of the Economy, of the 45 basic necessities tracked on the markets, almost 7 have been affected by the rise in prices including chicken, beans, brown sugar and horse mackerel.

The price of beans, for example, has increased due to the deterioration of the Kisangani-Bunia-Nyanya highway. This does not allow the trucks going to the production centers to go to the distribution centers, said A. Bandubola, before announcing the upcoming rehabilitation of this road by decision of the government.

In the case of chicken, the price of this product has been revised upwards following the import ban imposed on the company Minocongo internationally. This explains, according to the number one in the national economy, the rarity of this good on the markets.

On the other hand, added Minister Bandubola, the price of sugar has increased in the markets due to the poor harvest due to weather problems. She also announced that more than 20 thousand tonnes of brown sugar is already in Kinshasa and the price may be lowered in the coming days.

After taking “adequate” measures by the government to resolve this crisis of the rise in prices of basic necessities on the markets, Minister Bandubola urged the population not to lend themselves to speculation due to the scarcity of these goods.

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