The Democratic Republic of Congo is currently facing a delicate political situation, with its candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council, scheduled for the October 2024 elections in Geneva, Switzerland. This initiative is raising lively debates within civil society and among human rights defenders, each expressing divergent points of view on the legitimacy of the DRC to occupy such a position.
On the one hand, voices are being raised to support the DRC’s candidacy by highlighting the opportunity it represents for the country. Jean Claude Katende of the African Association for Human Rights (ASADHO) argues that this election could serve as a lever to push the country to undertake significant reforms in terms of respect for human rights. He sees in this candidacy an opportunity for the DRC to confront its own contradictions and thus work towards improving human rights on its territory.
Similarly, Jonas Tshiombela of the Nouvelle Société Civile Congolaise (NSCC) argues that the increased scrutiny that would result from the DRC’s election to the UN Human Rights Council would be beneficial for the country. He believes that this would be a way to hold the DRC accountable for its international commitments and push it to respect human rights standards.
However, there is also strong opposition, with actors such as Emmanuel Cole of the Bill Clinton Foundation for Peace (BCFP) denouncing the government’s recurring violations of the Congolese Constitution. According to him, in such a context of disrespect for fundamental rights, the DRC does not meet the necessary conditions to claim a seat on the UN Human Rights Council.
There is no denying that the DRC’s candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council raises legitimate controversies. The pros and cons must be weighed objectively and all the arguments put forward by the various stakeholders must be considered. Whatever the outcome of these debates, it is essential that the protection of human rights remains at the heart of concerns, and that any decision taken is in the interest of respecting human dignity.
The DRC, by applying to these international bodies, is demonstrating its willingness to play a major role on the world stage. It remains to be seen how it will be able to meet expectations and demands in terms of human rights, and to what extent it will be able to truly advance the human rights situation on its territory. Only the future will tell.