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The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, has appointed the country’s first female prime minister, Judith Suminwa Tuluka, on Tuesday.
Tuluka, a former planning minister will take up the position which is with immediate effect.
In her first statement on official television after being appointed, Tuluka said that she is committed to work for peace and development.
“My thoughts go out to the east and to all corners of the country, which today are facing conflicts with enemies who are sometimes hidden,” she said, referring to the conflict that involves many armed groups including some believed to be backed by Rwanda’s military. “I’m thinking of all these people, and my heart goes out to them.”
In eastern Congo, more than 120 armed groups vie for control of the region’s gold and other resources, leading to mass killings.
The government has asked both regional and U.N. peacekeepers to leave, accusing them of failing to resolve the conflict. With their withdrawal underway, violence has escalated.
Bintou Keita, the top U.N. envoy to Congo, reported to the U.N. Security Council that the prominent rebel group M23 had seized significant territory in the east, exacerbating violence and displacing more people.
Tshisekedi has blamed neighboring Rwanda for providing military support to the rebels. Rwanda denies the claim but U.N. experts have said there is substantial evidence of their forces in Congo.
