What you have stated would have been applicable 2+ years ago,...

What you have stated would have been applicable 2+ years ago, Ben. With the advent of Covid, society has completely flipped on this way of thinking.

In-person meets can now potentially pose health risks, cause anxiety and be interpreted as unprofessional and possibly underhanded.
The majority of humanity is now so accustomed to WFH and online collaborations, a 'closed door' face to face meet may cause more ripples in progress and sentiment than it would appease.
Keep in mind, DRC is trying to raise their international profile, and transparency is one of their tools...

Or, Ive completely missed your point- thats also likely.