The African nation of the Democratic Republic of Congo made history on Monday as Judith Suminwa Tuluka was appointed as the country’s first female Prime Minister, succeeding Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde after President Felix Tshisekedi’s recent re-election.
Tuluka expressed her acknowledgment of the significant responsibility bestowed upon her during a national television address, emphasizing her commitment to working towards peace, development, and ensuring that the Congolese people can benefit from the nation’s resources.
President Tshisekedi’s landslide victory in the December election paved the way for his priorities of employment, youth, women, and national unity to be implemented, with the majority of parliamentary seats now held by parties supporting his agenda.
Despite ongoing challenges such as internal displacement due to conflict and the presence of rebel groups in regions like North Kivu, Tshisekedi’s administration aims to address the country’s economic disparities and bring an end to decades of violence in the resource-rich yet impoverished nation.
Following a period of dormancy lasting eight years, the M23 rebellion reemerged in late 2021, seizing significant portions of eastern North Kivu province and effectively isolating Goma except for the Rwandan border road in early February.
The World Health Organization recently raised concerns about the deteriorating health situation in the country, with outbreaks of cholera, measles, smallpox, anthrax, and plague causing widespread devastation.
The health crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is further compounded by ongoing violence, climate-related disasters, displacement of populations, poverty, and malnutrition, prompting the WHO to call for an urgent increase in funding.
Approximately 15,000 UN troops stationed in the DRC began their withdrawal at the end of February, following a request from the Kinshasa government. The process is expected to be finalized by the end of the year.
