Didier Reynders meets with his counterpart Jean-Claude Gakosso of the Republic of the Congo

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders received today his counterpart of the Republic of the Congo, Jean-Claude Gakosso. The two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to maintain the bilateral dialogue, as well as the exchanges between Brussels and Brazzaville.

The first round of the presidential elections in the Republic of Congo will be held on 20March. Minister Reynders reiterated the importance of elections allowing free participation of all candidates in the debate. Belgium and the European Union will pay attention to these issues. As part of an exchange on regional issues, the two Ministers discussed the political situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On Burundi, Minister Reynders reiterated the importance of achieving an inclusive dialogue between Burundian actors in order to find a solution for the current crisis. Finally, the two Ministers mentioned global issues, such as migration and the fight against xenophobia. According to Didier Reynders, these issues must also be at the heart of the dialogue between the European Union and the African Union.