By Ollus Ndomu
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo — In a significant diplomatic exchange, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi held a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. The discussion, which took place from Tshisekedi’s African Union City office in Kinshasa, centered on the recent coup attempt, the ongoing security crisis in eastern DRC, and the strengthening of bilateral relations between the two nations.
Secretary Blinken expressed strong condemnation of the deadly attacks and the coup attempt led by Christian Malanga, a Congolese politician based in the USA.
Malanga and his associates targeted key government figures and institutions in Kinshasa, including the residences of Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, Defense Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba, and prominent politician Vital Kamerhe, before attempting to seize the Palais de la Nation.
“The United States of America has promised to cooperate with the Congolese authorities regarding the participation of alleged American citizens,” Blinken stated, according to a release from Tshisekedi’s office.
This commitment underscores the US’s stance against such destabilizing actions and its willingness to support the DRC in maintaining national security.
The conversation also addressed the deteriorating security situation in eastern DRC, particularly the ongoing conflict involving the M23 rebel group. Blinken assured Tshisekedi of continued US support for the Luanda Process, a peace initiative aimed at resolving the conflict in the region.
He reiterated the US’s condemnation of the bomb attacks on May 3, allegedly carried out by M23 rebels, which targeted refugee camps in Mugunga and Lushagala in North Kivu Province.
The DRC’s Defence and Security Forces, through FARDC spokesman Major General Sylvain Ekenge, announced on Sunday, May 19, that the army had successfully foiled the coup attempt. The operation led to the arrest of Malanga, a former FARDC captain and American citizen, along with about fifty others involved in the plot.
This latest development highlights the ongoing challenges faced by President Tshisekedi’s administration in maintaining stability and security within the DRC. The failed coup and continued unrest in the eastern provinces underscore the fragile state of security and governance in the country.
The international community, particularly the United States, has shown a keen interest in supporting the DRC through these turbulent times.
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