The king of Belgium has for the first time in the country’s history expressed what he calls his “deepest regrets” for colonial rule in Africa.
King Philippe acknowledged that acts of violence and cruelty were committed – and the wounds are still raw – in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
His message was sent to President Felix Tshisekedi on the 60th anniversary of the DRC’s independence.
Benedicte Ndjoko, an historian and a Congolese political activist, talks to Al Jazeera.
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In This Story: Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Western Europe. It is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to the southwest, and the North Sea to the northwest.
It covers an area of 30,689 km2 (11,849 sq mi) and has a population of more than 11.5 million, making it the 22nd most densely populated country in the world and the 6th most densely populated country in Europe, with a density of 376 per square kilometre (970/sq mi). The capital and largest city is Brussels; other major cities are Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi, Liège, Bruges, Namur, and Leuven.
Legally, Belgium is a sovereign state and a federal constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. Its institutional organization is complex and is structured on both regional and linguistic grounds. It is divided into three highly autonomous regions: the Flemish Region in the north, Wallonia in the south, and the Brussels-Capital Region.
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