In the context of current Congolese news, one of the issues that concerns citizens is the issuance of biometric passports. Indeed, this precious document allowing travel abroad has become a rare commodity in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Francophonie, Christophe Lutundula, the passport printing capacity is considerably reduced due to the obsolescence of the equipment of the current operator, LOCOSEM, a subsidiary of Semlex. While they could print between 1,000 and 2,000 passports per month, production is now limited to only 400 passports monthly.
Faced with this critical situation, the minister highlighted the efforts made by the government to resolve this problem. As the LOCOSEM contract expired more than 9 months ago, a new operator will take the reins from next month. Furthermore, an order was signed to decentralize the issuance of biometric passports, with the opening of capture centers in different regions of the country.
However, this shortage of passports only adds to the difficulties already encountered by applicants. Indeed, since May, operations for capturing individual data and printing passports have been temporarily suspended for upkeep and maintenance work on the printers. Result: the deadlines for obtaining this travel document are considerably extended, causing frustration among applicants.
In addition, another problem persists: non-compliance with the official price set at 99 US dollars for obtaining the passport. It seems that some applicants are forced to pay higher sums to quickly obtain their precious sesame.
Faced with this situation, the Congolese have the right to express their dissatisfaction, hoping for rapid and effective solutions from the competent authorities. It is crucial that the issuance of biometric passports once again becomes a smooth procedure, accessible to all citizens within reasonable time frames and at a fair price.
In conclusion, the shortage of biometric passports in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a problem that directly impacts citizens’ freedom to travel. It is necessary for the authorities to take adequate measures to resolve this problem as quickly as possible, in order to facilitate administrative procedures and allow everyone to access this essential document for their international travel.