During an official visit to Luanda, Angola, where he received a warm welcome from his counterpart João Lourenço, the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi, delivered a remarkably powerful political address that resonated deeply.
Speaking at the podium of the 3rd edition of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) initiative, the head of state vehemently condemned the international community’s inertia in the face of the severe security crisis gripping eastern DRC. He sharply criticized a global order that appears to be losing its moral compass.
For Félix Tshisekedi, the ongoing tragedy in Congo must no longer be dismissed as merely a regional news item, but rather recognized as a stark indicator of a collective failure of international law.
“we cannot accept the silence of convenience”
Addressing an audience of world leaders, diplomats, and civil society representatives, the Congolese president eschewed polished diplomatic language, instead delivering brutal truths about the human suffering in his nation:
“We must refuse the normalization of war. We cannot be content with indignation that quickly fades. We cannot accept the silence of convenience, nor can we merely count victims only to forget them later. We cannot allow international law to become a ceremonial language devoid of any real impact.”
This direct appeal unequivocally targets the major powers’ lack of concrete measures against Rwandan aggression, which is often masked by the M23 rebellion. By emphasizing that peace should not be reduced to empty rhetoric or a