The capital of Cameroon, Yaoundé, hosted the 51st session of the Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly (APF) from 6 to 11 July 2026. This major event brought together over 300 parliamentarians from 42 national, subnational, and interparliamentary delegations within the Francophonie space. Among them, Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Kyenge, President of the Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, seized the opportunity to highlight two critical issues: climate change and the security crisis in eastern DRC.

Drawing on the vision of President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi, Sama Lukonde reaffirmed the DRC’s strategic role in global environmental preservation. “Our country naturally stands as a true ‘solution country’” he declared, emphasizing the ecological assets of Congolese territory.

He underscored the Congo Basin — the world’s second-largest tropical forest — and its unparalleled biodiversity. His cabinet highlighted the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor initiative, a project spanning over 500,000 km² aimed at bolstering global climate action efforts. Despite these commitments, he lamented that decades of crises have hindered progress, with insufficient international support to match the scale of environmental challenges.

The Senate President also drew attention to the devastating environmental impact of ongoing conflicts. He condemned what he described as “unjust aggression perpetrated against the DRC by Rwanda through its M23-AFC proxies”, warning of severe consequences on both human and ecological levels.

According to his assessment, armed violence has not only claimed lives and displaced millions but has also led to ecosystem degradation, loss of wildlife and flora, and water resource pollution. “You cannot claim to achieve climate balance while systematically pillaging and destroying natural resources through war,” he asserted.

Sama Lukonde called on Francophonie members to take concrete action in support of peace initiatives and the implementation of the Washington Accords. He also advocated for a robust Francophonie climate pact grounded in solidarity and better recognition of the needs of communities living near forested areas. Additionally, he announced the DRC’s support for the candidacy of Ms. Julianna Lumumba to lead the Francophonie.

The Yaoundé session, organized by the Cameroonian APF section, took place at the National Assembly and Senate of Cameroon. Over a week, Francophone lawmakers engaged in discussions across permanent commissions and APF networks, addressing major political, democratic, economic, social, cultural, and environmental challenges facing the Francophonie community.

Parallel to the annual session, the 11th edition of the Francophone Youth Parliament (PFJ) convened. Recognized as a key platform for young Francophones, the PFJ has operated for over 20 years with the support of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) and the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF). This year’s edition brought together 61 young delegates from 29 Francophone sections, along with youth representatives from partner organizations including the OIF and AUF.