A former Belgian colony, the Democratic Republic of the Congo gained its independence on 30 June 1960. Following its independence, the country was first named the Republic of the Congo-Léopoldville, differentiating it from the neighbouring territory of the Republic of the Congo-Brazzaville. With the passing of the Luluabourg Constitution on 1 August 1964, the country...
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Commission Verité et Réconciliation) (2003-2007) was mandated to investigate human rights violations committed from 1960 until the end of the transition in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to its founding legislation, the objectives and responsibilities of the commission included consolidating national unity, cohesion and social justice; restoring the...
The Acts of Engagement on South Kivu and on North Kivu contain the exact same wording. The Acts provided for the establishment of a Joint Technical Peace and Security Commission by the Government and the international facilitators of the agreement, towards restoration of State authority, including the police, administration and justice, as well as integration...
The Parties to the Sirte Agreement affirmed the security and integrity of the political borders of all states and agreed to cease hostilities to pave the way for dialogue and peaceful resolution. The Parties further agreed to deployment of neutral African peacekeeping forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and reaffirmed the need to...
In the 2002 Agreement, the Parties agreed to put in place a mechanism for the normalisation of the security situation along their common border. The Agreement further provided for repatriation of ex-FAR and Interahamwe forces. In the Nairobi Communiqué, the Parties reiterated that the ex-FAR/Interahamwe constitute a major threat to peace and security of Rwanda,...
In the Luanda Agreement the Parties agreed to put in place a Joint Pacification Committee on Ituri consisting of the Parties, the political, military, economic and social forces active in the Bunia area, and the inhabitant grassroots communities. The Parties further agreed to cooperate in the areas of defence and security, including training and coordinated...
The Declaration confirms as Principles national reconciliation and a new political order as the basis for rebuilding a DRC where the people are united, reconciled and free of tribalism, regionalism, ethnicism and all forms of hatred, and for the promotion of an environment for lasting peace. It provides for the inclusion of the political opposition...
These agreements together aim to promote sustainable peace and security in the Great Lakes region. The Preamble to the Pact on Security, Stability and Development reaffirms the “individual and collective determination to transform the Great Lakes Region into a space of durable peace and security, of political and social stability, and of economic growth and...
The Parties agreed to the transformation of the CNDP into a political party, the integration of its police and security forces into the Congolese National Police and the National Armed Forces, and CNDP’s participation in politics. The Parties agreed to the release of political prisoners and the enactment of an amnesty law, as well as...
The Parties reached an agreement on 11 points, including the decision by M23 to transform itself into a political party, amnesty to M23 for acts of war and insurgency, demobilisation of former M23 combatants, return of refugees and IDPs to their homes, formation of a commission to handle the return of property (including land), national...
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) experienced political instability, armed conflict and humanitarian crises from its independence from Belgian colonial rule in 1960 to its political transition in 2006. Political power struggles and coups d’état resulted in periods of conflict escalation known as the Congo Wars, occurring in 1996 and again in 1998 (Lwanzo...