The 51st session of the Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly (APF) in Yaoundé served as a platform for the Democratic Republic of the Congo to voice its concerns through Senate President Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Kyenge. Held from July 6 to 11, 2026, the event brought together over 300 parliamentarians from 42 national, subnational, and interparliamentary delegations across the Francophone world.

Sama Lukonde’s address focused on two critical issues: the urgent need to address climate change and the devastating environmental consequences of ongoing insecurity in eastern DRC. Aligning his remarks with President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi’s vision, the Senate leader underscored the DRC’s pivotal role in global ecological preservation.

« Our country stands as a natural solution to global environmental challenges, » he declared, highlighting the Congo Basin—home to the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest—and the country’s unparalleled biodiversity. He also emphasized the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor project, a 500,000 km² initiative aimed at bolstering global climate mitigation efforts.

The Senate President acknowledged the DRC’s long-standing environmental commitments but criticized the international community’s insufficient response to the scale of these crises. He further condemned what he described as « unjust aggression against the DRC by Rwanda through its M23-AFC proxies, » warning of severe ecological repercussions.

« War not only claims lives and displaces communities but also plunders and destroys natural resources, undermining climate stability, » he asserted. According to his cabinet, Sama Lukonde called on Francophonie members to support concrete peace initiatives and the implementation of the Washington agreements, advocating for a climate-focused Francophone pact rooted in solidarity and the needs of forest-dwelling communities. He also announced the DRC’s endorsement of Julianna Lumumba’s candidacy for the Francophonie leadership.

The APF session, held at Cameroon’s National Assembly and Senate, featured week-long discussions in permanent commissions and thematic networks addressing political, democratic, economic, social, cultural, and environmental challenges within the Francophone sphere. Parallel to the main event, the 11th Francophone Youth Parliament (PFJ) convened, uniting 61 young delegates from 29 Francophone sections alongside youth representatives from partner organizations like the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) and the Francophonie University Agency (AUF).