U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Jim Risch, the Ranking Member and Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, met with President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at the United States Capitol. The meeting focused on the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity and the ongoing U.S.-DRC bilateral relationship.
In a joint statement, Shaheen and Risch said, “We were glad to welcome President Félix Tshisekedi to the United States Capitol today to discuss The Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity, and the future of the U.S.-DRC bilateral relationship. The United States is ready to be a stronger partner to the DRC and this bipartisan support must be met with serious efforts by all parties to meet their commitments to The Accords. As we have said previously, the U.S. must also act against those who have already broken their commitments to deter further violations."
The senators highlighted discussions about cooperation in critical minerals and investment in revitalizing the Lobito Corridor as ways to promote economic growth, regional trade, and long-term collaboration between the United States and Africa. They stated, “In our meeting with President Tshisekedi, we discussed the importance of our critical minerals’ partnership and continued investment in revitalizing the Lobito Corridor to foster mutual economic growth, regional trade and long-term U.S.-Africa cooperation.”
Shaheen and Risch also addressed security concerns in eastern Congo related to M23 group activities supported by Rwanda. They called for a withdrawal of Rwandan forces from eastern DRC as essential for peace: “We also expressed our concerns about the ongoing occupation of parts of Eastern Congo by the Rwanda-backed M23 group, and the urgent need for Rwandan forces to fully withdraw from the region if there is to be any chance at real, lasting peace. The humanitarian catastrophe in eastern DRC, where 26 million people face acute food insecurity, is intolerable. Women, children and minority communities cannot remain collateral damage.”
They urged Congolese authorities to address internal conflict drivers such as FDLR and Wazalendo militias: “In order to ensure long-term stability, the DRC must do its part to deescalate the conflict by taking decisive action against the FDLR and violent Wazalendo militias harming local communities. We hope that following this visit, the DRC recommits to a credible national dialogue over military solutions, so that Kinshasa can build the political cohesion needed to unify the country and strengthen the future of our bilateral partnership.”
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has played an important role in shaping U.S. foreign policy since its establishment in 1816 as one of Congress’s original standing committees (source). Its responsibilities include examining treaties and legislation related to international relations (source). The committee's leadership structure designates a Chairman for majority members while a Ranking Member leads minority members (source).
Over its history, it has influenced major policy decisions such as supporting post-World War II initiatives like the Truman Doctrine (1947) and Marshall Plan (1948), while also rejecting treaties like Versailles after World War I (source).
