President Felix Tshisekedi briefed the Council of Ministers on the outcomes of his official visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt, which took place from 10 to 11 June 2026 at the invitation of his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi.

During their talks, the two heads of state assessed the bilateral cooperation between their nations, built on a shared history of struggle for sovereignty, independence, and the dignity of African peoples, as well as the affirmation of the African continent on the global stage.

According to the report of the 92nd meeting of the Council of Ministers, held on Friday 12 June 2026 at the African Union City in Kinshasa, the head of state reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s strategic partnerships with African countries within the framework of cooperation focused on development and mutual interests.

“This visit enabled the signing of several cooperation instruments in the areas of investment, political and diplomatic consultations, urban development, and health, reflecting the shared will of both parties to steer their partnership towards concrete results for the benefit of their respective populations. Following his talks with his counterpart, President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi, several orientations were adopted,” the meeting report stated.

According to the report presented to the Council of Ministers, “these instruments reflect the common desire of both sides to further steer their partnership towards tangible outcomes for the benefit of their respective populations.” Among the main orientations agreed upon after the discussions between Felix Tshisekedi and Abdel Fattah El-Sissi is the substantial reinforcement of military cooperation between the two states.

To materialise this commitment, Felix Tshisekedi instructed the government to take the necessary steps for the rapid implementation of the programme.

“In the defence field, it was agreed to substantially strengthen military cooperation through, among other measures, the establishment of a training programme for Congolese soldiers in Egypt. The President of the Republic instructed the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defence, in coordination with the Chief of General Staff of the FARDC, to take the required steps for the implementation of this programme and to submit a detailed execution plan to him,” the presidential communication cited in the meeting report said.

This new phase in military cooperation between Kinshasa and Cairo comes as the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues its efforts to modernise its army and enhance the operational capabilities of its defence forces in the face of persistent security challenges in the eastern part of the country, notably the aggression attributed to Rwanda through the AFC/M23 rebellion, which controls vast portions of the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.