November 10, 2026
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates resolved the controversy surrounding the arrest of a number of Lebanese citizens in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, denying the validity of what was circulated in the media regarding Foreign Minister Youssef Raji preventing the Lebanese ambassador from following up on the file. The Ministry confirmed that these allegations are completely false.
The Ministry explained in a statement issued today, Tuesday, November 10, 2026, that Minister Youssef Raji issued direct and immediate instructions to the Lebanese Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haitham Ibrahim, to closely follow the case and keep abreast of all its developments from the first moment of the incident.
In the diplomatic context, the Lebanese Embassy initiated intensive contacts with the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. With the aim of officially verifying the places of detention of detainees, obtaining the complete official list of their names, in addition to checking on their legal and humanitarian conditions.
Regarding the background of the incident that occurred in the Kolwezi region and its surroundings, which is known for its mineral extraction activity, preliminary data indicated that the arrests came in the context of an official security campaign to regulate work in the mining sector. Investigations revealed that a large number of Lebanese detainees had exceeded the legal residency period specified for them, under the entry visa known locally as a “volant visa,” which does not grant its holder the right to reside for more than seven days.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs concluded by stressing that the Lebanese Embassy will continue its diligent contacts with the competent Congolese authorities, to complete the collection of all official information related to the conditions of detention and the legal status of the arrested citizens, to ensure that their case is followed up until its conclusion.
