Kenya, DRC restore full diplomatic ties after KQ tiff

Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have resumed full diplomatic ties days after the Kenya Airways incident that had put the two countries' relationship in limbo.

The agreement follows Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi’s visit to the nation where he met DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and his delegation and the two leaders committed to enhancing relations in trade and business, security as well as people-to-people connections.

Among the new agreements made, Kenya Airways will now resume full operations in the DR Congo which had been altered following the arrest of KQ personnel last month.

A statement by Salim Swaleh, the Director of Press Service at the Office of the Prime CS, also reveals that the new DRC ambassador to Kenya and his counterpart based in Nairobi have both been recalled to commence work at their respective stations.

“The DRC ambassador, who had been recalled, will promptly resume duties in Nairobi. In return, the new Kenyan ambassador to the DRC will present credentials and commence work without delay,” read the statement.

Kenya and the DRC technical teams are also set to commence discussions to lay the groundwork for the Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) meeting, which will be held at the earliest convenience.

In his Friday tour, CS Mudavadi also met with Kenyan organisations operating in the DRC, including Equity Bank BCDC – a subsidiary of Equity Bank Kenya – KCB-owned TMB bank, as well as a meeting with the Kenya Airways staff in DRC.

Mudavadi had on Thursday assured the people of DRC that Kenya will always work with them to ensure there is peace and harmony in the East African Region and Africa at large, saying the future of the economic growth of African countries largely depends on the peaceful environment cultivated by individual nations and by the regions and continent together.

 “My mission here at Kinshasa was to deliver to President Felix Tshisekedi a special message from President William Ruto of Kenya that we are partners and as countries within the East African Community have to continue working together very cordially and closely,” he told members of the press after the meeting.

“We want to assure the people of DRC that trade and business between the two countries will grow and we re-affirm that Kenya respects the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Congo.”

Following the Kenya Airways incident, KQ had suspended its flights to the Central African nation beginning April 30th, 2024, in protest of the detention of its employees by the Military Intelligence Unit.