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Lawmakers hear New Hampshire Congolese diaspora urge support for stability, judicial reform
Summary
Representatives and community members told lawmakers a state resolution supporting the Washington Accords and U.S. diplomatic engagement matters to New Hampshire’s Congolese residents; sponsor emphasized anti-corruption and public-administration reforms.
Representative Maring Wanda Georgees introduced an amendment to HR26, a resolution urging support for peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). She grounded the amendment in the December 4, 2025 strategic partnership agreement — the Washington Accords — and said the measure underlines the state’s support for reforms that would strengthen judicial independence, anti-corruption capacity and public administration in the DRC.
Georgees emphasized the human link to New Hampshire: the state hosts a sizable Congolese diaspora whose relatives remain displaced by violence. She said the amendment ‘‘reaffirm[s] the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’’ and urges U.S. engagement focused on accountability and citizen wellbeing rather than resource exploitation.
Committee members questioned whether the language implied U.S. intervention and whether the U.S. was already providing support; Georgees said the amendment does not call for military intervention but advocates persistent diplomatic and humanitarian engagement. Witnesses from the state’s Congolese community, including Romeo Msuku and Grace Kind (testimony read by Lois Numbi), asked the Legislature to press for continued monitoring of the Accords’ implementation and for attention to displaced families and transparency in aid flows.
The hearing did not produce a committee vote; sponsors said the resolution aims to send a message to the federal delegation urging oversight and prioritization of humanitarian protections.
Ending: The committee closed the hearing on HR26 after public testimony; sponsors will decide if they move the measure forward with a committee recommendation.
