The Francophone Countries’ Conference is Overshadowed by the Tshisekedi Walkout

The French-speaking nations’ conference in Paris over the weekend was almost overshadowed by a walkout organised by Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi.

In a humiliating move for French diplomacy, Tshisekedi boycotted the heads of state retreat at the summit to protest French President Emmanuel Macron’s opening remarks for failing to bring up the conflict in eastern Congo.

Additionally, Tshisekedi did not attend a luncheon hosted on Saturday at noon by Louise Mushikiwabo, the head of the Organisation of Francophone Countries.

Mushikiwabo was Rwanda’s foreign minister for several years before to taking over as the organization’s leader. Kinshasa interpreted Macron’s statement’s exclusion of the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo as an effort by Paris to curry favour with Kigali.

According to Congo and the UN, M23 rebels and Rwandan military are engaged in combat on its territory.

Macron denied picking sides during a press conference on Saturday night, stating that he urged both nations to come to a consensus through negotiations facilitated by Angola. Macron met individually with the leaders of Rwanda and Congo prior to the start of the conference.