Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


                DRC Official Lauds Outcome of Francophone Summit

   by James Butty

   Democratic Republic of Congo Information Minister Lambert Mende said
   his government is pleased with the outcome of the just-concluded summit
   of French-speaking nations in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa.
   French President Francois Hollande declared his willingness to renew
   his country's relationship with Africa.
   The leaders also called for an overhaul of the UN Security Council to
   give Africa a better representation.
   Information Minister Mende said his government is pleased with the
   summit's position on the situation in eastern Congo where Kinshasa has
   accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels.
   "First of all, they made a very clear statement of solidarity with the
   Congolese people about the war that is destroying the eastern part of
   our country from Rwanda.  They decided to work to have sanctions
   against those M23 people, who are killing our people in the eastern
   part of the country," he said.
   Hollande said he was thinking about the civilian population in North
   Kivu region who, he said, were being massacred, and the women who he
   said were being raped.
   Mende said his government has asked France to put pressure on Rwanda to
   stop supporting the M23 rebels.
   "Of course, we expressed our gratitude to the French president for
   having brought to the table the issue of Rwanda security.  So, we told
   him that it is better to point out those who spreading this insecurity,
   namely Rwanda, not only pointing it out, but putting pressure so that
   Rwanda can stop interfering in Congo affairs," he said.
   Some leaders, like Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, said the
   DRC, with its poor human rights record, was the wrong choice to host
   the summit.
   Hollande said the Francophone countries must carry "democracy, human
   rights, pluralism and respect for freedom of expression."
   Some say Hollande was hinting at the re-election of DRC President
   Joseph Kabila that was marred by some irregularities.
   Mende said Kabila told the French president that DRC is not the only
   country where election irregularities had been reported.
   "We have had elections, but they are not worse than those we have
   witnessed in other countries around us.  So, as President Kabila told
   President Hollande, he should not only blame the DRC and leave other
   countries where worse irregularities are seen indicating silence,"
   Mende said.
   Mende welcome the French leader's declaration to renew the relationship
   between France and Africa on mutuality.
   But, he said successive French leaders had made similar declarations
   and failed to bring about a partnership with Africa.
   "Let us hope that this will be done.  But, we saw that, since arriving
   from Dakar, President Hollande started something like giving directives
   to African states like a master.  We said, `No you should be abiding by
   your own commitment that we are partners without a master,'" Mende
   said.
   Mende welcomed the summit resolution calling for an overhaul of the UN
   Security Council to give Africa a better representation.
                       He said, soon, the powerful countries in the United
   Nations will realize that they cannot continue pushing other countries
   to institute democratic principles while at the same time refusing to
   democratize the United Nations.
                       "I think that it will happen because all those big
   countries with more influence who are keeping more pressure all over
   the world about democratizing, they are the ones who are putting in the
   Security Council a non-democratic organization," Mende said.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/drc-francophone-summit-mende/1526552.
   html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/drc-francophone-summit-mende/1526552.html