President Donald Trump led government on Thursday applauded the efforts of the new president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, to drive a change agenda in the country.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday expressed support for Congo President Tshisekedi’s drive to tackle corruption, improve human rights and strengthen security during their first meeting, the State Department said.
“They discussed the future of U.S.-DRC relations following the country’s historic transfer of power earlier this year,” the statement released by the State Department read, reported Reuters.
During the meeting, Mr. Pompeo and President Tshisekedi discussed ways to combat the Ebola outbreak in the country’s eastern region, which has killed more than 600 people, and ways to open the country to U.S. investment.
“That’s why I’m here: to ask the Democratic Republic of Congo’s traditional partner, the United States, to help us maintain this fragile balance,” Tshisekedi told during a conference organized by the Council on Foreign Relations.
He added that the US is the perfect partner to contribute to his agenda for change, including military reforms, which will aim to attract new investors. He also urged Washington to see the DRC’s huge potential, including its plentiful natural resources.
This is Tshisekedi’s first trip to the United States since he took office in January this year. During the US trip, the DRC leader visited the Georges town University which formed the famous Congolese-American basketball player, Dikembe Mutombo. He went to the memorial dedicated to civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King,in Washington DC. He also addressed American investors at the US Chamber of Commerce.
The DRC President is due for talks Friday with White House National Security Advisor John Bolton, though no meetings are planned with President Donald Trump.
