Tshisekedi’s Diplomatic Marathon: Paris to Brazil for Peace

Kinshasa, DRC — From Paris to Cairo, Doha to Belém, President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo has spent the final weeks of October 2025 leading a whirlwind series of international engagements, a “final four” diplomatic marathon aimed at achieving peace in the Great Lakes, renewing alliances, and securing global recognition of Congo’s leadership.

The tour, which began on 30 October in Paris, confirmed Tshisekedi’s growing stature as both a peacemaker and a statesman driving Africa’s green and social transformation.

1. Paris — The Peace Conference for the Great Lakes

At the Paris Conference on Peace and Prosperity in the Great Lakes Region, President Tshisekedi once again extended an olive branch to Rwandan President Paul Kagame, urging him to “make the peace of the brave” and to end Rwanda’s war of aggression in eastern Congo.

He presented the security and humanitarian crisis in the east and appealed to world leaders to enforce UN Security Council Resolution 2773, which condemns Rwanda’s military involvement.

“This resolution must be implemented. Peace in the Great Lakes begins with justice for the Congolese people,” he told delegates.

His message resonated: diplomatic observers noted that Tshisekedi spoke not only as a national leader but as a regional stabiliser backed by African and international consensus.

2. Cairo — Reinforcing Historical Ties with Egypt

On 31 October, President Tshisekedi arrived in Cairo for a meeting with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Al-Ittihadiya Palace. The two leaders reviewed bilateral cooperation dating back to 1960 and agreed to expand military and technical collaboration initiated under Tshisekedi’s 2022 defence accords.

The meeting also explored water management, agriculture, and training cooperation, reviving the spirit of early Congolese-Egyptian solidarity.