MOSCOW, October 30. /TASS/. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is interested in a partnership with Russia to diversify its economy, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"The DRC aims to diversify its economy, which opens up numerous opportunities for the partnership we seek with Russia," Tshisekedi said. "We are also interested in investment cooperation."

The DRC President noted that during the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, he visited an exhibition showcasing advanced Russian developments. "I saw new opportunities at the exhibition," Tshisekedi said, identifying energy, natural resource processing, agriculture, and digital technologies as priority areas for cooperation.

Tshisekedi emphasized that the DRC's future development depends on restoring peace in the eastern part of the country. "To implement economic projects, we need peace," the President remarked. "There is a war going on in the eastern DRC, and we would like Russia to help us achieve peace there." He added that the Washington and Doha peace processes have yet to yield tangible results, and hostilities continue. Tshisekedi expressed hope for Russia’s support in extending the UN peacekeeping mission in the eastern DRC, whose mandate expires at the end of this year.