MEETING OF THE DRC-USA FRIENDSHIP GROUP THIS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2025 IN KINSHASA ON STRENGTHENING ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL COOPERATION BETWEEN THE DRC AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WITH THE MINING AGREEMENT IN GENERATION: JULIEN PALUKU KAHONGYA ADVOCATES FOR THE RENEWAL OF THE AGOA IN SEPTEMBER 2025 AND THE INCREASE IN THE VOLUME OF COMMERCIAL TRADE
Invited this Wednesday, June 18, 2025 to the meeting of the DRC-USA friendship group at the National Assembly focused on support for the diplomatic initiatives of the President of the Republic Félix Tshisekedi and the DRC-USA mining agreement in gestation, a meeting in which National Deputies and the United States Ambassador accredited to the DRC, Lucy Tamlyn, took part; The Minister of Foreign Trade, Julien Paluku Kahongya invited this group to support the DRC's advocacy for the renewal of AGOA, this American law which allows Sub-Saharan African countries to export their products to the United States of America without payment of customs duties, objective, to increase the volume of trade.
Speaking of the strengthening of economic and commercial cooperation between Kinshasa and Washington with the mining agreement in progress which is part of a win-win partnership, the Minister of Foreign Trade invited American investors to come and do business in the DRC by supporting the development of regional value chains including
major project around the battery and electric vehicle industry developed by the DRC and Zambia, a project which will change the economies of African countries, he added.
On this occasion, he called on the National Deputies members of the DRC-USA friendship group which must constitute a task force, to support the campaign to sell the good image of the DRC at the level of the United States of America, an image unfairly tarnished by an international network, and this, after having given details on the key pillars of the Judith Suminwa Government program including security and stability, socio-economic development, governance and democracy and economic and commercial cooperation.
Welcoming the major role played by the Trump Administration in the face of the aggression of the DRC by Rwanda with sanctions imposed, Julien Paluku Kahongya on behalf of the Congolese Government invited the United States of America to increase pressure on the aggressor and its AFC-M23 proxies who stand out in the massive violations of human rights in the occupied zones.
Condemning with the greatest firmness the aggression of the DRC by Rwanda and the actions committed by the AFC-M23, the American diplomat, Lucy Tamlyn said the agreement on the development of chains around the strategic minerals of the DRC constitutes a new phase in the consolidation of relations between the United States of America and the DRC and on the increase in commercial exchanges between Kinshasa and Washington, from where the National Deputies have a capital role to play in this new dynamic, she insisted.
She added that the promotion of peace and stability in the Great Lakes region augurs the sustainable development of this part of the African continent.
For his part, Joseph Bangakya, President of the DRC-USA friendship group, pleaded for the imposition of peace in the East of the DRC with the involvement of the Trump Administration and for a win-win partnership.
Note that the presentation of the prize of excellence to the Head of State Félix Tshisekedi and the paintings received by the Minister of Foreign Trade who was also awarded and to the American Ambassador constituted one of the highlights of this ceremony
