About

The DRC Diaspora Desk is a coalition of Congolese organizations, leaders, advocates and allies committed to collective action to benefit the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As a hub for coordinated advocacy, we work to ensure that Congolese voices are heard.

Introduction

The following policy recommendations focus on critical pillars necessary to achieve lasting peace and security in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while restoring trust in national institutions and reaffirming the country’s viability as a stable, attractive destination for business and investment. These proposals offer actionable solutions to support meaningful and measurable change.

I. Peace & Justice

1. Truth and Reconciliation:

• Build any future Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) based on the Mapping Report recommendations instead of reinventing the wheel.

• Ensure broad national consultation, including victims, civil society organizations, and diaspora representatives, to enhance credibility and legitimacy.

• Avoid non-inclusive or rushed processes and communicate efforts and progress transparently.

2. Demilitarization and Integration of Armed Groups:

• Recognize and compensate Wazalendo militias who have fought alongside FARDC, and integrate willing fighters into the national army after formal training.

• Launch disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) programs for Wazalendo fighters who choose civilian life.

• No parallel militias should operate outside the national army structure.

• Members of FDLR must be disarmed and relocated, possibly with prisoner exchange agreements.

3. Feedback on Peace Processes (Washington D.C., Luanda, Nairobi):

• Full respect for Congolese sovereignty must be non-negotiable in any agreement.

• The DRC must maintain a monopoly over legitimate force within its borders; no armed groups or foreign military presence.

• Address root causes that lead to self-defense group formation, including lack of government protection.

• Engage in the regional integration framework carefully, ensuring transparency in trade, mining, and security mechanisms.

• Women must have a seat at the table, and their rights and grievances must not be siloed as they are disproportionately affected by the conflict. Integrate gender perspectives and frameworks from the Women’s Platform for Peace, Security and Development and the National Victims Reparations Fund in all peace negotiations and post-war reconstruction. 

• Sanctions on RDF, M23 and gold refinery must remain for at least five years after RDF’s unconditional withdrawal to ensure lasting peace

4. Strengthen Transitional Justice and Rule of Law:

• Prioritize transparent trials for war crimes and financial embezzlement within the army and political class.

II. Military Reform

1. Professionalization and Transparency:

• Conduct an independent audit of the military, including ranks, promotions, and financial flows.

• Implement transparent pay systems to reduce corruption and strengthen morale.

2. Deployment and National Unity:

• Disband the "brassage" system (forced mixing of units) but enforce national deployment rules: no unit should refuse deployment outside its province of origin.

• Those that refuse to serve nationally must be reassigned to a local police force or civilian functions in administration.

3. Strengthen Strategic Border Security:

• Prioritize reinforcement of borders, especially Goma and Bunagana corridors.

• Increase pay and support for elite border units.

• Establish regiments drawn from across provinces to avoid local allegiances interfering with national interests and aim for representation from at least 13 provinces in all units. 

4. Military Presence in Conflict Zones:

• Reinforce and upgrade military capacities in the Kivus and Ituri where armed groups are most active.

• Refugees: there must be a close military supervision of returned refugees and refugee camps to ensure that they are not used as a base for RDF and armed groups to infiltrate the DRC. This monitoring should last a minimum of five years. 

5. International Military Cooperation:

• Cooperate selectively with MONUSCO and SAMIDRC while building autonomous Congolese capabilities.

• As stated in UN Resolution 2773, Stressing the primary responsibility of the Government of the DRC for ensuring security in its territory and protecting its civilians. 

III. Economy & Business Climate

1. Tax Reform:

• Drastically simplify and reduce tax rates to encourage legal trade.

• Set fixed tax rates for miners, farmers, and small entrepreneurs to eliminate discretion and extortion by corrupt tax agents.

• Target Congolese tax competitiveness to be equal to or lower than Rwanda and Uganda to stem smuggling.

• It is estimated that 90% of Congolese coffee and Congolese gold are smuggled to Rwanda and Uganda, in part because of the tax regime.

• Increase legal exports and national revenues through lower, transparent taxation.

2. Strategic Mineral Reserves:

• Build national stockpiles of key minerals (coltan, cassiterite, wolframite, gold, cobalt) available for immediate sale.

• Government must pre-finance mining cooperatives to create inventory, this will eliminate smuggling incentives and simplify the process for buyers and other traders to secure minerals. 

3. Transparency in Mineral Deals:

• Require third-party audits of mining contracts.

• Mandate that every mining contract allocate a percentage of revenues toward education, healthcare, and infrastructure in mining communities.

• Involve diaspora organizations for vetting and monitoring of foreign investments depending on country of origin.

• If an investor is British, work with Congolese in the U.K. on the vetting process for example. 

4. RFP Reform for Government Contracts:

• Institute a transparent request-for-proposal (RFP) system for government projects.

• Prohibit companies with less than five years of operational history from securing government contracts, reducing corruption, and ensuring competence.

5. Empower Local Investors

• Create incentive programs to empower Congolese entrepreneurs and investors rather than solely relying on foreign investment.

IV. Census

1. National Population and Ethnicity Census:

• Urgently conduct a nationwide census to accurately capture the population distribution and ethnic composition.

• Prioritize transparency to restore trust, particularly in provinces impacted by migration and displacement (e.g., North and South Kivu, Ituri).

2. Census of the Diaspora:

• Coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies to conduct a worldwide census of Congolese living abroad.

• Partner with diaspora-led organizations for outreach, data collection, and awareness campaigns.

3. Strategic Use of Data:

• Use census data to guide resource allocation domestically (healthcare, education, infrastructure).

• Strengthen national identity documentation, electoral processes, and regional planning using verified population data.

V. Narrative

• Collaborate with Congolese journalists, publicists, and content creators, regardless of political affiliation, to shape and promote the national narrative, both domestically and internationally.

• Develop decentralized partnerships with diaspora communities to lead storytelling efforts tailored to each country's media landscape:

• In the U.S., work with Congolese-Americans.

• In Germany, work with Congolese-Germans.

• And so forth for each country where diaspora communities are active.

• Mobilize Congolese voices at home and abroad to amplify authentic narratives, replacing the current overly centralized approach that often fails to resonate effectively with non-partisans.

Conclusion and Next Steps

The DRC Diaspora Desk recommends that these high-level policy points be the basis for future workshops with senators, members of the Congolese Parliament, and senior government officials. The goal will be to transform these recommendations into actionable law, regulations and partnerships that promote peace, security, economic development, and national cohesion.