During the 51st session of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) held in Yaoundé from July 6 to 11, 2026, Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, President of the Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), delivered a powerful address highlighting the country’s role as a solution country in global environmental preservation while condemning the ecological devastation caused by Rwanda-backed aggression in eastern DRC.
The event, which brought together over 300 parliamentarians from 42 national, subnational, and interparliamentary sections of the Francophone world, provided a platform for Sama Lukonde to outline the DRC’s dual priorities: climate action and security stabilization.
DRC’s ecological leadership in the spotlight
Sama Lukonde framed the DRC as a natural solution country, emphasizing its critical role in combating climate change. He underscored the Congo Basin—home to the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest—and the nation’s unparalleled biodiversity. The senator highlighted the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor, a 500,000 km² initiative aimed at bolstering global climate resilience.
« Our country is inherently positioned as a true solution nation, » he declared, stressing that the DRC’s environmental assets are vital for planetary health. Yet, he lamented the insufficient international support in addressing the scale of environmental challenges facing the country.
Ecological catastrophe in eastern DRC
The speech took a sharp turn as Sama Lukonde condemned what he described as Rwanda’s unjust aggression against the DRC, executed through its proxy forces, the M23-AFC alliance. He painted a grim picture of the ecological fallout from the conflict, detailing how armed violence has led to:
- Massive deforestation and destruction of ecosystems;
- Pollution of water resources and soil degradation;
- Loss of wildlife and biodiversity;
- Displacement of communities, exacerbating humanitarian crises.
« You cannot claim to achieve climate balance while, through war, you plunder and destroy natural resources on an industrial scale, » he asserted, calling for urgent international intervention to halt the environmental degradation.
A call for solidarity and action
Sama Lukonde urged the Francophone community to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete steps to support peace efforts in eastern DRC. He advocated for a Francophone climate pact, rooted in solidarity and tailored to the needs of communities living near forested areas. Additionally, he announced the DRC’s endorsement of Julianna Lumumba’s candidacy for the leadership of the Francophonie.
The session, organized by the Cameroonian APF section, featured discussions across various commissions on political, economic, social, and environmental challenges facing the Francophone world. It also coincided with the 11th edition of the Francophone Youth Parliament (PFJ), a platform for young leaders from 29 Francophone sections to engage in dialogue on pressing global issues.
Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde’s address at the APF in Yaoundé served as a stark reminder of the DRC’s ecological significance and the urgent need to address the dual crises of war and environmental destruction in the region.
