This incident was addressed during Ambassador Bruno Aubert’s farewell meeting with President Félix Tshisekedi, who condemned the act and reassured that those responsible had been apprehended.
The incident, which overshadowed the final days of Bruno Aubert’s tenure as France’s Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), was discussed during their meeting on August 26, 2024, as noted on the Congolese presidency’s Facebook page.
The identities of the two French diplomats have not been disclosed. They were targeted during an intrusion at a French property in Kinshasa, with preliminary indications suggesting it is related to a land dispute, though further details remain unclear.
President Tshisekedi expressed strong condemnation of the intrusion, labeling it a violation of international conventions that protect diplomatic personnel. To reassure the French authorities, he confirmed that the individuals involved in the incident had been arrested by Congolese law enforcement. This incident occurs at a sensitive time, as Ambassador Aubert is set to conclude his three-year mission. Despite the challenges, the French diplomat emphasized the positive developments in Franco-Congolese relations achieved during his term.
AC/fss/abj/APA