Message of Comfort and Support to Afrewatch

Kinshasa & Brussels, August 23, 2024

The Resource Matters team is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Me Céline Tshizena Tshinate in Nairobi. As Advocacy Director at AFREWATCH and our colleague within the Le Congo N’est Pas à Vendre (CNPAV) Coalition, she was a powerful voice in the fight for justice.

We pay the highest tribute to Maître Céline for her unwavering advocacy for the rights of affected communities and her relentless fight against corruption and embezzlement in the mining sector. Could the “Tribunal du Congo” have hoped for a better Chief Investigator to expose the responsibility of elites and multinationals during the Kolwezi hearings? We trust that the men and women she inspired through her work at AFREWATCH and within civil society will find the strength to carry on her fight.

Our heartfelt thoughts go out to the entire AFREWATCH team, to whom we wish the space to grieve and the strength to overcome this immense loss. Please know that you can count on our full support during this difficult time. We also extend our deepest condolences to her family, loved ones, and all those who had the privilege of knowing and working with her.

May Maître Céline’s soul rest in peace, and may her legacy continue to guide our actions in the pursuit of justice and human rights.

On behalf of the entire Resource Matters team,

Jean Claude Mputu Ingole & Elisabeth Caesens