Lutundula Apala, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Francophonie in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), recently gave indications on the financing of the regional force deployed in eastern DRC for the Community of East African States (EAC). He said the DRC provided the bulk of the funding, over 60%. Neighboring countries also contributed financially, such as Angola, which gave one million dollars, Senegal, which gave one million euros and Kenya, which also gave one million.
These claims come in contrast to accusations made by Jeff Nyagah, who reported that the Congolese government does not cover the administrative costs of regional force headquarters offices, staff officers’ quarters, the electricity, and salaries of civilian staff. However, these allegations were denied and Jeff Nyagah was replaced by Major General Alphaxard Kiugu.
This regional force has been widely criticized, but it is still present in the DRC until June, according to the duration granted by the Congolese authorities.
Ultimately, the situation in the DRC is still worrying and additional efforts are needed to resolve the many social, economic and political crises facing the country. If neighboring states, such as Angola, Senegal and Kenya, have made a financial contribution for the EAC regional force deployed in eastern DRC, this shows the importance of regional cooperation in resolving these crises in the region