Fatshimetrie, 28 August 2024 – The African Union (AU) commitment to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the fight against terrorism and extremism was reaffirmed during a workshop organized in Kinshasa by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Colonel Christian Emmanuel Mouaya, Head of the Training and Equipment Division at the “AU Counter-Terrorism Centre”, stressed the need for urgent action in the face of the terrorist threat facing the DRC. According to the data collected, the country ranks among the African states most affected by terrorism, which underlines the importance of putting in place effective measures to stem this scourge.
The national consultation workshop on the draft law on the fight against terrorism in the DRC brought together participants around the crucial objective of sensitizing national legislators to the importance of this text. This bill is indeed essential to suppress terrorism and deter those who might be tempted to engage in it.
Colonel Mouaya recalled the history of this bill, initially adopted in 2018 by the National Assembly but rejected at the Senate level. Its adoption and implementation are major challenges for the DRC in order to reverse the upward trend of terrorism and violent extremism in the country.
In collaboration with the National Coordination Committee for the Fight against Terrorism (CNCLT) of the DRC, this workshop provided an opportunity to discuss the content of the bill with parliamentarians, national authorities, as well as regional and international organizations. The objective of this meeting is to mobilize and raise awareness among political actors on the importance of this bill to strengthen the DRC’s capacities in the fight against terrorism.
At the heart of the discussions is the need for a collective and coordinated approach to address this threat that knows no borders. The adoption of this bill represents a decisive step towards concerted and effective action against terrorism in the DRC, thereby strengthening security and stability in the region.
In conclusion, the AU’s commitment alongside the DRC is a strong signal of solidarity and regional cooperation in the fight against terrorism and extremism. It is now essential that national legislators join forces to adopt this bill and put in place the necessary measures to protect the Congolese population against this persistent threat. It is only together and with determination that the DRC will be able to meet this crucial security challenge.