Tshisekedi Presents Human-Centered Vision at Doha Social Summit

Doha, Qatar — Speaking before global leaders at the Second World Summit for Social Development, held at the Qatar National Convention Centre, President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi showcased the Democratic Republic of Congo’s bold pivot away from a purely extractive economy toward one rooted in human dignity, social justice, and territorial equality.

“We have chosen a new path,” Tshisekedi declared. “A break from centralized, extraction-based models, to build an economy centered on people, equal opportunity, and peace.”

A Social Vision Built on Three Core Convictions

President Tshisekedi emphasized three founding principles guiding his national transformation agenda:

• Dignity is non-negotiable.

• Access to fundamental rights is not a luxury.

• There can be no lasting peace without social justice.

From this foundation, the DRC has launched sweeping reforms aimed at transforming the everyday lives of Congolese citizens.

1. Free Healthcare for Mothers and Newborns

In a historic move, since 2023, the DRC has provided free health services to pregnant women, new mothers, and newborns.

“Giving life should never be a financial burden or a path to poverty,” Tshisekedi said.

This marks a major step toward universal health coverage and is already changing the lives of the most vulnerable populations.

2. Free Primary Education for All

Since 2020, more than 5 million Congolese children have entered or returned to school thanks to the government’s free primary education policy.

“That’s 5 million individual stories saved from illiteracy and exclusion,” said Tshisekedi, visibly proud of the program’s scale and impact.

To support this progress, the government is now implementing a national school feeding program, ensuring that no child is forced to leave school because of hunger.

3. Bridging Urban–Rural Gaps Through Local Development

Recognizing the inequalities created by Congo’s vast geography, the President highlighted the 145-Territory Local Development Program, launched in 2023.

“For too long, the size of our country has been used as an excuse for inequality,” Tshisekedi said. “We’re now reconnecting the entire national territory.”

This program seeks to close the divide between cities and rural areas by investing in local infrastructure, services, and opportunities in every corner of the DRC.

A New Face of African Development

Tshisekedi’s speech resonated with the summit’s central theme: inclusive, people-centered development. At a time when many global narratives focus on Africa’s risks, Tshisekedi is boldly presenting the Congolese model as an example of social progress in action.

“This is not theory. These are real policies, real reforms, and real hope,” remarked one observer at the Doha summit.

The Message from Congo: Social Justice Is the Foundation of Peace

As conflict continues in the eastern part of the country, Tshisekedi’s speech in Doha was more than an economic statement; it was a moral one. A declaration that lasting peace in the Great Lakes region cannot come without justice, education, dignity, and inclusion.

Through his leadership, the DRC is now positioning itself as a voice for fairness on the African continent and a model of transformation for nations facing the same struggles.