By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has appealed to European countries, particularly France to change its “patronizing” attitude towards African countries, stressing the importance of mutual respect between EU and African countries.
The country’s President, Felix Tshisekedi made the remarks during a press conference with France President Emmanuel Macron, who was on a Central Africa visit earlier in the week.
President Tshisekedi urged France to look at African countries differently and to consider them “as partners and not with a paternalistic look.”
“The way of seeing things when they happen in Africa must change in our relations with France in particular but also with the West in General,” the president said.
The statements made by DRC’s president were warmly received and applauded by journalists and officials attending the press conference.
Tshisekedi’s remarks have been echoed by several countries, refusing France’s attitude and neo-colonialism approach.
The Congolese president also expressed concerns about security challenges hampering his country’s development, stressing that the electoral process is threatened by war aggression.
He also renewed his country’s accusations against Rwanda, calling for the international community to intervene by pressing sanctions against the country.
“There was no reason to justify this aggression, except for economic reasons, which were specific to Rwanda, the instigator of this aggression,” Tshisekedi said, accusing Rwanda of “systematic plundering.”
In response, Macron said he is waiting for the end of ongoing peace negotiations before taking any steps.
He, however, promised that his country would be “Faithful to its role as an unwavering ally of [DRC] to defend its integrity and sovereignty.”
In August 2022, the Malian government urged President Macron to abandon his “neocolonial and patronizing attitudes” against Mali, stressing that the French President and France need to “understand that no one can love Mali better than Malians.”
