Your Excellency, Prime Minister of the sister Democratic Republic of Congo;

Your Excellency, President of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Congo;

Your Excellency, President of the Senate;

Honourable Presidents of National Parliaments and Heads of Delegation;

Honourable Members of the Executive Committee;

Mr. Secretary General of the African Parliamentary Union;

Mr. Director of the Office of the Head of State;

Mr. Governor of the City of Kinshasa;

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen of the diplomatic corps;

Ladies and gentlemen, parliamentary experts; Distinguished guests;

Ladies and gentlemen.

‘Africa will write its own history, and it will be, north and south of the Sahara, a history of glory and dignity.’ This thought from PATRICE EMERY LUMUMBA remains relevant today and resonates within us as a call for a united Africa, united in solidarity and resolutely focused on progress.

Having paid tribute to this great pan-Africanist, I would like to take this opportunity offered to me by the 47^th Conference of the African Parliamentary Union to express, on behalf of our Union and on my own behalf, our deep gratitude to His Excellency Mr. FELIX ANTOINE TSHISEKEDI TSHILOMBO, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, for his enlightened leadership and his commitment to dialogue, democracy and peace.

I would also like to express our heartfelt and sincere thanks to the Government, Parliament and all the brotherly people of the Democratic Republic of Congo for the particularly warm welcome given to the parliamentary delegations and for all the attention we have received since we set foot in this great and beautiful country, the Democratic Republic of Congo.

On behalf of all of you, I would like to offer our warm congratulations to His Excellency, Mr Aimé Boji Sangara, the newly elected President of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We wish him every success in the execution of his mandate.

We would particularly like to welcome Her Excellency Judith Suminwa Tuluka, Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who has honoured us with her presence at the opening ceremony of this 47^th APU Conference. Her presence reflects the Government's keen interest in our work. It contributes to the influence of the African Parliamentary Union and is a sign of encouragement for the strengthening of inter-parliamentary cooperation.

Honourable parliamentarians,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

The African continent is at a crossroads, and the themes chosen for this 47^th Conference reflect our daily concerns and our constant desire to give Africa the main levers for its development. With regard to the first theme, which focuses on the challenges of energy transition and the development of renewable energies in Africa, we believe that our continent, so rich in natural resources and solar, hydraulic, wind and geothermal potential, is still lagging behind when it should instead be the global driving force in rationally exploiting and transforming this immeasurable wealth.

With Africa's economic potential and proven resources in various fields, we must engage in deep reflection to ensure that Africa remains at the heart of the global transition to clean energy. To this end, we are counting on the Democratic Republic of Congo, with its immense hydroelectric potential – notably the Congo River – to play a pivotal role in this energy revolution.

As for the second theme, which focuses on consolidating national sovereignty for sustainable development, I would like to emphasise the word sovereignty to remind participants that this is not just a slogan. Sovereignty is the ability of a people to freely decide their destiny, to exploit their wealth for the benefit of their children, and to choose their alliances in accordance with their values and interests.

In other words, without political and economic sovereignty, there can be neither lasting peace nor real development.

Finally, the third theme, relating to good digital governance in the service of women's rights, should concern us all. Digital technology can be a powerful lever for emancipation and access to education, employment and political participation. We see its achievements on a daily basis. Therefore, it must be governed in an ethical, inclusive and human rights-respecting manner, so that African women are not only users, but also full participants and beneficiaries of the digital revolution.

Honourable Members of Parliament,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

In listing all these challenges, we are reminded that parliamentary diplomacy has a crucial role to play. In an increasingly fragmented world, parliaments are spaces for dialogue, mediation and democratic legitimacy.

The African Parliamentary Union, through its programmes, resolutions and initiatives, strives to promote peace, democracy, good governance, social justice and cooperation among African peoples. We must continue to defend the sacrosanct principles of democracy and build bridges between nations rather than walls between differences.

Honourable parliamentarians; Distinguished guests;

Ladies and gentlemen.

Our organisation remains convinced that Africa's progress will come through its representative institutions, through strong, transparent, inclusive parliaments committed to serving the common good.

I would like to take this opportunity to raise the serious humanitarian situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo and eastern Chad, with the massive influx of refugees fleeing the crisis in Sudan. The recurring violence, the mass displacement of populations and the suffering endured by thousands of women, men and children must appeal to our collective conscience. As African parliamentarians gathered here in Kinshasa, we cannot ignore or remain indifferent to this tragedy. It is our duty, as representatives of the people, to make our voices heard in a spirit of humanity, solidarity and responsibility.

The African Parliamentary Union reaffirms its solidarity with the Congolese and Sudanese people and encourages all African and international initiatives aimed at restoring peace, security and dignity to these war-torn but courageously resilient regions.

Honourable parliamentarians;

Distinguished guests;

Ladies and gentlemen.

With your kind permission, I would like to pay tribute to the Secretary General of the APU for his dynamism, professionalism and high sense of duty, qualities that have enabled our organisation to achieve its objectives.

Finally, I would like to reiterate our sincere thanks to the President of the Republic, the Government, the Parliament and the entire Congolese people for their exceptional welcome and the perfect organisation of this conference.

May this 47^th Conference of the African Parliamentary Union be an opportunity to strengthen our ties, deepen our solidarity and inspire concrete solutions to the challenges of our time.

It is my hope that our work will be fruitful, that our debates will be marked by mutual respect and listening, and that they will contribute to writing a new page in the history of our continent, that of a sovereign, innovative, united and proud Africa.