Diplomatic World 67

CHANTAL YELU MULOP
SPECIAL ADVISOR TO
H.E. FELIX TSHISEKEDI
PRESIDENT
OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
A RELAXED CONVERSATION WITH CHANTAL YELU
MULOP, A LADY WITH A GENEROUS AND SUNNY
PERSONALITY, CHOSEN BY FELIX TSHISEKEDI,
THE PRESIDENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
OF CONGO TO BE A SPECIAL ADVISOR IN MARCH
2019. SHE IS IN CHARGE OF YOUTH, GENDER AND
THE FIGHT AGAINST VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.
With a beautiful smile, Chantal Yelu Mulop told us her story
and how being a woman means being a warrior for change and
equality. She was born in Lubumbashi in DRC. She comes
from a family of 7 children, - three boys and four girls who are
now all grown women and mothers. She is second eldest in
this lovely big group of siblings. Her family was amongst the
first wave of Congolese immigrants to Belgium following
independence.
Chantal gracefully continued to share her fascinating tale, that
of a true blood princess. She is a Suku traditional leader, of the
Banvula ethnic group, which has assets of 56 villages and no
less than 3 million inhabitants. They form the largest majority in
the population of Masimanimba (the territory they inhabit).
Her Canadian adventure began at Windsor on the American
Canadian border, and it was here that she obtained her Bachelor
of Nursing with honour, after which she lived in different towns
around Canada.
In Ottawa, she met Felix Tshisekedi, the President of the Democratic
Republic of Congo, during a work meeting while they were
both working on a project in common. After this joint collaboration,
the President decided that she had the necessary potential
that he was looking for in an ally and thus she became the head
of state’s Special Advisor in March 2019.
It is important to mention here some of her main achievements
from this date: the launch of the immediate zero tolerance campaign
against crimes of sexual and gender-based violence, the
holding of the first conference of Heads of State of the African
Union on Positive Masculinity in the DRC, the signing of the
addendum to the joint agreement between the Government of
the Democratic Republic of Congo and the United Nations on
sexual violence related to the 2019 conflict, participation in
several G100 meetings on gender equality, participation in
the G20 meeting and preparation of the DRC President’s
H.E. Felix Tshisekedi the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo
As a little girl her dream was to become a doctor like the father
she so admired, so as to continue the family tradition. He was
and still is a great source of inspiration for her. He was an obstetrician
and an aerospace doctor; this had a great impact on the
multicultural education of all of the children.
She has in fact spent her whole life to-ing and fro-ing between
Africa and Europe and a large part of her education took place in
Belgium. For example she obtained her Bachelor of Science in
Hospitality Management, specialising in Management at I.S.E.E.,
Verviers-spa.
She was then seized with a desire to explore the unknown. She
flew to Canada, which she considered to be a land of opportunity,
and still does. This is where her six children were born and
have grown up.
official statement on the promotion of women’s rights, gender
equality and the fight against impunity.
To end our conversation, just out of curiosity, we asked her what
motivates her every day to continue. Without hesitation, this
mother of six replied: It is the determination of the young, seeing
the potential, creativity and innovation in each one of them. They
contain real resourcefulness and a desire to conquer the world -
this fires her daily inspiration.
We sincerely thank Chantal Yelu Mulop, the magnificent princess,
for having shared with us her force, vitality and infectious joie de
vivre.
Dr Pick Keobandith
Founder and International Director, Inspiring Culture
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