King Philippe & Queen Mathilde made an official visit to Belgium's former colony Congo from 7 to 13 June 2022.
President Tshisekedi had already issued his invitation to the Belgian head of state in 2020, but the visit got postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Later it was cancelled a second time because of the war in Ukraine.In 2021 King Philippe had publicly expressed his personal regrets about his predecessor King Leopold II's regime in the Congo.
The King & Queen were accompanied by PM Alexander De Croo, Minister for Development Cooperation, Meryame Kitir and Secretary of State for Strategic Investments, Thomas Dermine.
Tuesday 7 June 2022
Departure from Melsbroek military airport.
Arrival in Kinsasa.
Wednesday 8 June 2022
Day two started at the Mémorial des anciens combattants, where King Philippe greeted and decorated the last surviving Congolese soldier who fought in WWII. Corporal Kunyuku fought for Belgium.
Afterwards King Philippe officially handed back a giant mask belonging to the Seku tribe. It had been bought by a Belgian researcher in the 1950s. A highly symbolic gesture in the ongoing cooperation between Belgium and Congo on handing back colonial/stolen artworks.
Meeting between the royal and presidential couple at the Palais de la Nation. The first lady also presented some of her projects to Queen Mathilde.
Then followed the most awaited part of this visit: King Philippe's speech where he presented, for a second time after a letter in 2020, his deepest regrets for the Belgian colonial regime in Congo.
Next on the program was a visit to Kinshasa Digital Academy & Silikin Village where Belgian Development Cooperation Agency Enabel has an employment project for young people.Le Roi et la Reine saluent la foule après le discours sur l'esplanade du Palais du Peuple pic.twitter.com/k1RmlttkP6
— BelgaVideo (@BelgaVideo) June 8, 2022
At night there was a banquet.
Thursday 9 June 2022
The day started with a visit to a pagne market. The pagne is the colourful African textile Mathilde's dress, and her gala dress of the evening before, were made of.
Mathilde was wearing a dress by Odile Jacobs, the Belgian brand created by Odile Kanyunyl and Herve Jacobs.
Visit to the Institut National de recherche biomédicale.
#RDC Jeudi 09 juin, le Roi Philippe et la Reine Mathilde sont arrivés à l'Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (#INRB). https://t.co/yjkORFZb9F
— Fabrice Lukamba (@Fabricelukamba) June 9, 2022
Meeting female activists for gender equality. They discussed emancipation, getting women actively involved in politics, sexual violence and reproductive health.
At the Académie des Beaux Arts there was time to meet young artists.
Photo opp near the Congo river.
Friday 10 June 2022
King Philippe & Queen Mathilde left Kinshasa for Lubumbashi in the Katanga region, Congo's second largest city. They took a military flight.
Arrivée du couple royal à Lubumbashi pic.twitter.com/g6epDZ7Igm
— BelgaVideo (@BelgaVideo) June 10, 2022
Mathilde's dress was by Congolese designer Charlotte Kambeya.
The royal couple also visited the university of Lubumbashi where King Philippe gave a speech, insisting on the necessity of peace in order to create development.
Saturday 11 June 2022
Visit to the Miombo forests and the reforestation projects in the village Katanga.
video: https://www.hln.be/royalty/koning-noemt-herbebossing-katanga-voorbeeld-voor-de-wereld~a5b6e0c3/
In the evening, back in Lubumbashi, they had a meeting with the young people of Worldskills Africa.
Mathilde was wearing a new Odile Jacobs dress.
Sunday 12 June 2022
On their final day in Congo, the King & Queen visited the Panzi hospital in Bukavu where Dr Denis Mukwege and his team treat women who have been victim of sexual violence, which is actively used as a weapon of war in East Congo.
Philippe & Mathilde are longtime admirers of Doctor Mukwege and have met him on several occasions. Mathilde also helped establish an academic Mukwege Chair in Belgium.
The visit was an important, heartwarming and inspiring event for Mathilde.
"Nous sommes sans voix en écountant les témoignages que nous venons d'entendre des femmes qui ont été blessées au plus profond d'elles-mêmes. Et vous pouvez être assurées que le Roi et moi, nous serons votre voix pour vous, ici au Congo et au-delà des frontières"
There was also a visit to the Institut International d'Agriculture tropicale.
Monday 13 June 2022
Departure for Belgium. The royal couple arrived at Melsbroek around 19:15.
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