Democratic Republic of the Congo President Felix Tshisekedi called on Russia to support efforts to end the ongoing conflict, saying the Washington and Doha processes had failed to produce 'concrete results,' during his meeting with President Vladimir Putin after the Third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow on Friday.

President Tshisekedi said for 30 years, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been facing the horrors of war in the east of our country and called on Russia, as a member of the UN Security Council's Permanent Five (P5), to help us achieve peace. 

The Washington and Doha processes have been launched, but unfortunately, they have not produced any concrete results.

The leader also proposed drawing up a 'bilateral roadmap' with specific 'responsibilities and deadlines,' covering economic co-operation, support for peace efforts, and diplomatic consultations at the United Nations.

He reaffirmed his country's intention to diversify international partnerships while safeguarding its sovereignty and without excluding or aligning itself with any particular side.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo wants to diversify its economy through agriculture.

Meanwhile, President Putin described the DRC as a promising and reliable partner, noting that trade between the two countries was 'growing'.

"The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of Russia's promising and reliable partners on the continent. Russian-Congolese trade ties are strengthening, and trade turnover is growing. We believe that the Intergovernmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technical Co-operation, which has been established, will help take our co-operation to a new, higher level. Humanitarian contacts are also developing."

 President Tshisekedi agreed.

"This is the very symbol of the historical ties that unite our two countries and the support that you once gave to the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the heinous crime against its prime minister in 1961. I reaffirm here that the Democratic Republic of the Congo intends to diversify its partnerships in respect of its sovereignty without any logic of exclusion or alignment." 

The Third Russia-Africa Summit from 28 to 29 October brought together African leaders and Russian officials to discuss political and economic co-operation, security, and science and technology, as well as cultural and humanitarian ties.