On March 16, 2025, Tshisekedi's office announced that it had welcomed Congressman Dr. Ronny Jackson and discussed security in eastern DRC as well as development issues.
'On this Sunday, President Félix Tshisekedi met with Mr. Ronny Jackson, the Special Envoy of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, and a member of the U.S. Congress," the office of the president said in a statement.
Dr. Jackson, who also chairs the U.S. Congress Intelligence and Special Operations Committee, visited Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda to understand the root causes of insecurity in the region.
After concluding his visit on March 23, Dr. Jackson explained to his fellow U.S. lawmakers that the insecurity stemmed from colonial-era border changes in the 19th century, which resulted in some land being allocated to the DRC.
Dr. Jackson stated that due to these altered borders, some Congolese in eastern DRC, including many members of the M23 armed group, are not recognized as full citizens, which has led them to take up arms to fight for their rights.
'For lasting peace, the Congolese government must integrate M23 fighters into the military and recognize the people of eastern DRC as full citizens with legitimate rights," he added.
His remarks angered some Congolese social media users, who criticized the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa, questioning how a special envoy from Trump could make such statements.
The outrage stemmed from the fact that Dr. Jackson did not distort the region's history as some Congolese politicians and their foreign allies have often done.
On March 26, the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa clarified that Dr. Jackson was not a special envoy of Trump but had visited the region as a member of the U.S. Congress.
'The Embassy wishes to clarify that Mr. Ronny Jackson is an elected member of the U.S. Congress and not an official envoy appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate," the statement read.
Dr. Jackson's remarks could potentially shift the perspectives of some U.S. politicians who previously believed that the conflict between the Congolese army and M23 was solely driven by the struggle for mineral resources, rather than by the fight for the rights of marginalized Congolese communities.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/politics-48/article/u-s-embassy-refutes-drc-s-claim-of-receiving-trump-s-envoy
