The preparatory work for the round table on the future of the state of siege in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo has just ended. According to the information, the report was sent to the President of the Republic Félix Tshisekedi, who can now convene the round table to assess this exceptional measure.
This news was announced during the cabinet meeting by Prime Minister Sama Lukonde. He specified that the general report, including the themes to be addressed, the profile of the participants and the format of the work, had been sent to the President.
The preparatory work lasted four days, bringing together members of the government, presidents of provincial assemblies, civilian governors replaced by soldiers, representatives of civil society, etc. The objective of this round table is to assess the strengths, weaknesses and other aspects of the state of siege, in order to inform and guide the President’s decision on whether to maintain, requalify or lift it.
Since May 2021, a state of siege has been in effect in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu. This exceptional measure has been criticized by many socio-political actors, because of its ineffectiveness in the face of the rise in armed violence in the region. Some voices are raised to demand its lifting, particularly in anticipation of the upcoming elections, where politicians want to be able to engage in political activities without constraints.
The state of siege was instituted to reinforce the powers of the provincial authorities and to try to put an end to the violence perpetrated by the negative forces. However, the resurgence of the M23 rebellion in parts of the North Kivu provinces has shown the limits of this measure.
The convening of the round table should make it possible to assess the results of the state of siege so far and to determine the measures to be taken to guarantee security and stability in the region. Participants will have the opportunity to share their views and propose concrete solutions to address the security challenges facing the country.
The next step will therefore be the convening of the round table by President Félix Tshisekedi, who will have to make an informed decision on the future of the state of siege in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu. In the meantime, socio-political actors and the population are awaiting new measures to ensure security and stability in the region