Faida M. Mitifu
Democratic Republic of the Congo

Faida Maramuke Mitifu has served as a representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the United States since 1998; she was sworn in as Ambassador in 2000. Since her appointment, she has testified before the US Congressional Subcommittee on Africa about the crisis in the Great Lakes Region and given numerous lectures and interviews on the subject. She delivered the keynote address at the Women in International Security's 13th Annual Summer Symposium for Graduate Students in International Affairs, sharing the importance of women's involvement in the peace process with a new generation of policy shapers. In the mid-1990s, Ambassador Mitifu was an active member of the All North Africa Conference on Zaire, an organization of Congolese intellectuals who sought the removal of long-term leader Mobutu Sese Seko. Before beginning her diplomatic career, Ambassador Mitifu taught French language and literature, as well as the francophone literatures of the Caribbean and Africa, at the University of Georgia, where she earned her doctorate.

Ambassador Mitifu's peace-building activities include:

• sharing a podium with the Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to the United States, to discuss the need for peaceful solutions to conflicts around the world at the Women Waging Peace Colloquium in November 2001-when their countries were engaged in hostilities;
• participating in "Reclaiming the Congo and its Potential for Africa: The Role of the Congolese Intellectuals and Friends of DRC," an October 2001 conference held at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and leading a February 2002 panel discussion (with two other African ambassadors) on "Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution in Africa: The Role of the International Community," hosted by Illinois State University;
• participating in the Black Women's forum "Building Bridges Between African-American and African Women" to promote conflict prevention and resolution;
• appearing with the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus on Voice of America's Africa Journal to promote women's role in peace-building; and
• advocating for the demobilization of child soldiers and the return of peace to the Great Lakes region of Africa.

back to Building the Network

return to top