The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Indonesia have just signed a letter of intent to develop defense cooperation activities. This includes organizing exchanges of civil servants and collaborating in the field of education and training. With this in mind, Jean-Pierre Bemba, the Congolese Deputy Prime Minister in charge of National Defence, visited some Indonesian military industries for the modernization and equipment of the Congolese armed forces.
This initiative follows the recent defense sector reform in the DRC aimed at strengthening the Congolese armed forces and establishing a military industry. Bilateral cooperation could thus make it possible to benefit from Indonesian expertise in this field.
However, this initiative took place in a tense regional context, as the country is experiencing significant security challenges, particularly in the Eastern region. But despite these difficulties, the DRC continues to engage in negotiations for the repatriation of Congolese refugees settled in Rwanda, while criticizing the regional force of ACIR in charge of security in the region.
This letter of intent for military cooperation with Indonesia, if followed by facts, could mark a turning point in the modernization of the Congolese armed forces, thus allowing better security in the country.