The 51st session of the Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly (APF) held in Yaoundé from July 6-11, 2026, provided the Democratic Republic of Congo with a platform to voice its concerns through Senate President Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Kyenge.
With over 300 parliamentarians from 42 national, subnational, and interparliamentary sections of the Francophone world, the event focused on critical global challenges. Senator Sama Lukonde’s address centered on two pressing issues: climate change mitigation and the ecological fallout from ongoing insecurity in eastern DRC.
Reaffirming President Félix Tshisekedi’s vision, the Senate President emphasized the DRC’s strategic role in global environmental preservation. He declared:
“Our country naturally positions itself as a true solution country,” highlighting the Congo Basin’s ecological significance as the world’s second-largest tropical forest and its unparalleled biodiversity.
Key initiatives like the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor project—a 500,000 km² initiative to combat climate change—were underscored as pillars of the DRC’s environmental commitment. However, Senator Sama Lukonde lamented that international efforts remain insufficient given the scale of environmental challenges.
The Senate President also condemned what he termed the “unjust aggression” against DRC by Rwanda through its proxy forces, the M23-AFC. He stressed that armed conflicts inflict devastating human and ecological consequences, including ecosystem destruction, wildlife depletion, water resource pollution, and forced displacement.
“Climate stability cannot be achieved while war ravages and plunders natural resources,” he asserted.
Calling for concrete Francophone solidarity, Senator Sama Lukonde urged support for peace efforts and the implementation of the Washington Accords. He advocated for a climate pact rooted in solidarity and the needs of communities in forested regions. Additionally, he announced DRC’s endorsement of Julianna Lumumba’s candidacy for the Francophonie leadership.
The APF session, organized by Cameroon’s APF section, included thematic commissions and networks addressing political, economic, social, cultural, and environmental challenges across the Francophone space. Parallel to this, the 11th Francophonie Youth Parliament (PFJ) convened 61 young delegates from 29 Francophone sections, alongside representatives from the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) and the Francophonie University Agency (AUF).
