The Democratic Republic of Congo's foreign minister has travelled to Ireland to discuss the case of Yves Sakila, the Congolese man who died after he was restrained by security guards following a shoplifting incident on Henry Street in Dublin city centre two weeks ago.
Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner arrived in the city this afternoon from France, where she has been on an official visit.
She met President Catherine Connolly at Áras an Uachtaráin this evening and is due to meet Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee and Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan tomorrow.
In a statement, Ms Wagner, who is also due to meet the Sakila family, said: "The government of the DRC stands with the Congolese community in Ireland and abroad in mourning the tragic death of Yves Sakila in Dublin on 15 May.
"We welcome the ongoing efforts by the Irish authorities to establish the facts through a full investigation, and will remain attentive to the progress of the process while maintaining close dialogue with the Irish government."
Last week, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the DRC said it had taken steps to ensure that an independent investigation into the death of Mr Sakila was carried out in Ireland.
In a statement posted on social media, the ministry said that it was following the case "with deep emotion and serious concern" and that its embassy has been closely monitoring developments.
It said that it had taken diplomatic steps to establish the exact circumstances of Mr Sakila’s deaths and to ensure that an "independent, transparent and diligent investigation is conducted".
The statement added that the minister delegate was aware of the reaction the case has provoked among the public and human rights organisations, but appealed for calm to allow the investigations to proceed.
"He called for restraint, calm and responsibility, pending the official conclusions of the ongoing investigations."
The ministry said that DRC's government remained committed to the protection of its citizens living abroad and to safeguarding their dignity, as well as respecting human rights and the principles of justice.
Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs said that it expects Ms Wagner to discuss a range of issues with Minister McEntee, including efforts to halt the spread of Ebola in DRC and the conflict in the east of the country.
DRC's desire to strengthen cooperation with Ireland is also expected to be raised.
