Baku: The Democratic Republic of the Congo has made a formal appeal to Belgium to acknowledge the injustices perpetrated during the colonial era. C-B. Francis Tshibalabala Mukunayi, a member of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, articulated this call at an international conference titled 'Injustices of Belgian Colonialism and 101 Years of Struggle for Reparations,' organized by the Baku Initiative Group.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Mukunayi emphasized that reparations should not be confined to financial compensation. He stressed the importance of recognizing the historical injustices, addressing their long-term consequences, and ensuring that such events do not recur. Mukunayi argued that reparations should pave the way for forging new relations between Belgium and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, ones that are unburdened by past grievances and founded on equality and mutual respect.

"The Congolese people do not want history to be erased, but rather to be recognized and taught as it was," Mukunayi stated. He warned that history ignored will continue to impact international relations, whereas acknowledged and accepted history could serve as a foundation for improved diplomatic ties. Moreover, the MP highlighted the necessity of including the restitution of cultural artifacts and the repatriation of archives and human remains as part of the reparations framework.