The U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa, the Congolese capital, announced an upcoming security and accountability exercise for its staff and partners. This exercise, which will take place on July 20, 2023, is part of the US State Department’s requirements for all diplomatic missions around the world.
The objective of this exercise is to regularly test and review the Embassy’s emergency preparedness and response capabilities. This is an essential measure to ensure the safety of diplomatic personnel and facilities in a tense general context in the country.
This announcement comes in an electric political context in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Indeed, the death of a member of the opposition and close to the presidential candidate, Moïse Katumbi, has exacerbated the tensions already present. At the same time, the security situation remains worrying, which makes this exercise even more crucial to guarantee the safety of all.
For the duration of the exercise, regular Consular Section services will be closed on July 20, 2023. Those with appointments scheduled for that day will be contacted to reschedule them. The activities of the consular section and the Embassy will resume their normal course the next day, July 21, 2023.
This U.S. Embassy initiative demonstrates the importance placed on security and emergency preparedness. By regularly organizing exercises of this type, the Embassy strengthens its capacity to deal with possible crises and to protect its human and material resources.
In conclusion, this security and accountability exercise by the United States Embassy in Kinshasa demonstrates the Embassy’s desire to guarantee the safety of its personnel and partners in a tense political and security context in the Democratic Republic of the congo. This is a crucial measure to ensure emergency preparedness and effective response to possible crises