Félix Tshisekedi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Félix Tshisekedi
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Tshisekedi in 2021
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| 5th President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| Assumed office 24 January 2019 |
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| Prime Minister | Bruno Tshibala Sylvestre Ilunga Sama Lukonde Kyenge Judith Suminwa |
| Preceded by | Joseph Kabila |
| Leader of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress | |
| Assumed office 31 March 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Étienne Tshisekedi |
| 19th Chairperson of the African Union | |
| In office 6 February 2021 – 5 February 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Cyril Ramaphosa |
| Succeeded by | Macky Sall |
| Chairman of Southern African Development Community | |
| In office 17 August 2022 – 17 August 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Filipe Nyusi |
| Succeeded by | João Lourenço |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 June 1963 Léopoldville, Congo-Léopoldville (now Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo) |
| Nationality |  Congolese |
| Political party | Union for Democracy and Social Progress |
| Spouse | Denise Nyakéru Tshisekedi |
| Parents | Étienne Tshisekedi Marthe Kasalu Jibikila |
| Website | https://presidence.cd |
Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo was born on 13 June 1963. He is a politician from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Since 24 January 2019, he has been the President of the DRC.
He leads the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) party. This is the oldest and largest political party in the DRC. Félix Tshisekedi took over this role after his father, Étienne Tshisekedi, passed away. His father was a well-known opposition leader.
Félix Tshisekedi ran for president in the December 2018 election. He was declared the winner. This election was important because it was the first time power was transferred peacefully in the DRC. This had not happened since the country became independent in 1960.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Félix Tshisekedi was born in Kinshasa on 13 June 1963. His parents were Marthe and Étienne Tshisekedi. His father later became the Prime Minister of Zaire (now the DRC).
He grew up in Kinshasa. However, when his father started the UDPS party and opposed the government, their family faced difficulties. Félix had to live under house arrest with his father for a time. This stopped his studies.
In 1985, he was allowed to leave the country. He moved to Brussels, Belgium. There, he worked different jobs. He also became an active member of the UDPS party.
Political Career
Early Political Steps
In 2008, Tshisekedi became the UDPS National Secretary for external relations. In 2011, he won a seat in the National Assembly. He chose not to take his seat, saying the election was unfair.
He later turned down a position at the election commission (CENI). He said he wanted to continue his political work. In 2016, he became the vice secretary general of the UDPS.
Becoming President in 2018
On 31 March 2018, Félix Tshisekedi was chosen to lead the UDPS party. His father had passed away the year before. On the same day, the UDPS nominated him to run for president.
On 10 January 2019, it was announced that Tshisekedi had won the December 2018 election. He defeated other candidates, including Martin Fayulu. The election results were challenged by some, but the court confirmed his victory.
He was sworn in as president on 24 January 2019. This was a historic moment for the DRC. It was the first time a president peacefully handed over power to someone from the opposition.
As President (2019–present)
When Tshisekedi first became president, he faced challenges. The parliament was controlled by a group linked to the previous president, Joseph Kabila. This made it hard for Tshisekedi to appoint his own government.
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In March 2019, Tshisekedi signed a decree to pardon about 700 prisoners. Many of these were political opponents of the previous government. He had promised to allow exiles to return.
He worked to improve the country's infrastructure. This included transport, education, housing, and health. He also focused on water and agriculture.
In May 2019, he reached an agreement with the parliament. They agreed to appoint Sylvestre Ilunga as prime minister. Ilunga was an ally of the former president. In July 2019, a new government was formed. Most of the government positions went to the group allied with Kabila.
Later, the alliance with Kabila's allies broke down. In February 2021, Tshisekedi appointed Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde as the new prime minister. In April 2021, Tshisekedi officially ended his coalition with Kabila's allies. He formed a new government with his own supporters.
President Tshisekedi has called for a review of mining contracts with China. These contracts were signed by his predecessor. The DRC is rich in minerals like copper, uranium, and cobalt. He also promised to stop and reverse deforestation by 2030. This promise was made at a big climate summit.
In October 2022, he said the DRC would not bring in Russian mercenaries. This was to help deal with a conflict in the east of the country. He wants to continue economic development despite the problems.
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In May 2023, he visited China. He met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The goal was to make their partnership stronger. They also discussed renegotiating mining contracts.
In December 2023, Tshisekedi was re-elected for a second term. He won with 73% of the votes. Some opposition candidates disagreed with the results.
In May 2024, there was an attempt to overthrow him. This was a coup attempt. However, he and his allies quickly stopped it.
In October 2024, Tshisekedi left a meeting in Paris. This happened after the French president did not mention conflicts in eastern DRC. He also avoided a lunch hosted by a former Rwandan foreign minister.
Honours
Central African Republic:
Grand Cross of the Order of Reconnaissance of Central African (December 2019)
Chad:
Grand Cross of the National Order of Chad (June 2024)
Guinea-Bissau:
Recipient of the Medal of Amílcar Cabral (July 2021)
See also
In Spanish: Félix Tshisekedi para niños
- List of current heads of state and government
- List of heads of state of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
