Clwyd West MS Darren Millar met with the Her Majesty Queen Bakembisa Kuyalu Mafuta of the Democratic Republic of Congo during her recent visit to Colwyn Bay. 

Colwyn Bay has a unique and often overlooked link to the Congo dating back to the late 19th century and the Queen’s visit on Friday was an opportunity to recognise and discuss their shared history and how relations between the two can be built on further in the future.  

Commenting after, Darren said:

“It was a great honour to meet with Queen Bakembisa and her entourage and to welcome them to beautiful North Wales.

“The relationship between the Congo and Colwyn Bay goes back over 140 years to when the Reverend William Hughes visited the Congo and opened Congo House in Colwyn Bay, which trained young Africans.

“Many students went on to return home as teachers, medics, and community leaders, creating enduring connections between Wales and the Congo.  

“Last week’s meeting acknowledged that shared history and that we can do much more to celebrate it.”

Also present at the meeting were Cllr Jones Nuttall, the Mayor of the Bay of Colwyn, and Dr Sibani Roy, the founder and chair of Networking for World’s Awareness for Multicultural Integration (NWAMI).

Darren added:

“Recognising the shared history between Colwyn Bay and the Congo allows us to celebrate the connections that have existed for generations and to explore ways our communities can continue to learn from each other.

“I enjoyed the time I spent with Her Majesty Queen and the Princesses, and I look forward to future cultural and educational cooperation between Colwyn Bay and the Congo.”