The 51st session of the Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly (APF) held in Yaoundé from July 6 to 11, 2026, provided the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with a platform to voice its concerns through Senate President Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Kyenge.

This major gathering of Francophone diplomacy brought together over 300 parliamentarians from 42 national, subnational, and interparliamentary sections across the Francophone world. During his address, the Congolese Senate leader focused on two critical issues: the fight against climate change and the repercussions of insecurity in eastern DRC.

Drawing from President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi’s vision, Sama Lukonde emphasized the DRC’s strategic role in global environmental preservation. The communication team of the Senate President highlighted the country’s natural assets, positioning it as a ‘solution country’.

He underscored the significance of the Congo Basin—the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest—and its exceptional biodiversity. Additionally, he referenced the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor project, a 500,000 km² initiative aimed at bolstering global climate efforts.

While celebrating these commitments, the Senate President lamented the DRC’s persistent challenges over decades, noting that international efforts remain inadequate in addressing environmental threats.

In his speech, Sama Lukonde also raised alarms about the destructive environmental impact of armed conflicts. He condemned what he described as ‘unjust aggression imposed on the DRC by Rwanda through its M23-AFC proxies,’ stressing that this has led to severe human and ecological consequences.

According to him, armed violence not only causes loss of life and mass displacement but also degrades ecosystems, destroys wildlife and flora, and pollutes water resources.

‘We cannot claim to achieve climate balance while war ravages and plunders natural resources on a massive scale,’ he declared.

He called on Francophonie members to take concrete action to support peace efforts and implement the Washington agreements. Sama Lukonde further advocated for a robust Francophone climate pact rooted in solidarity and a deeper consideration of the needs of forest-adjacent communities. He also announced the DRC’s endorsement of Julianna Lumumba’s candidacy for the Francophonie leadership.

The APF session, organized by Cameroon’s APF section and the APF, took place at the National Assembly and Senate of Cameroon. Over a week, Francophone lawmakers worked within permanent commissions and APF networks to address key political, democratic, economic, social, cultural, and environmental challenges facing the Francophone space.

Parallel to the annual session, the 11th edition of the Francophone Youth Parliament (PFJ) was held. Recognized as a key platform for Francophone youth for over two decades, this event was supported by the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) and brought together 61 young representatives from 29 Francophone sections, alongside youth delegates from partner organizations like the OIF and the Francophonie University Agency (AUF).

Clément Muamba