In 2009, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) engaged in an extensive process to reform the security sector, with the objective of creating a republican, professional, modern, credible and deterrent army.
The country subsequently benefited from a series of support measures from technical and financial partners, in particular the European Union (EU) through the EUSEC mission (2005-2015) and the Programme to Support Security Sector Reform (PROGRESS) implemented between 2015 and 2021 by a consortium of five operators, including Expertise France.
The European Union has decided to continue its support through the new project “United for Peace and Security”, implemented by Expertise France (lead agency) and Enabel (Belgian development agency) for a period of four years starting in March 2023.
Through this action, the EU aims to assist the Government of the DRC with the reform of its defence and security system, in particular in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu where there are currently the largest number of non-State militia groups.
This project is fully in line with the security-development nexus. Its overall objective is to contribute to strengthening governance and the rule of law, fighting against impunity and corruption, and promoting a just and lasting peace in the DRC. To this end, it is assisting the Congolese civilian and military authorities with the military reform process, in particular in terms of administration and management.
This project is implemented through Team Europe and is divided into four lines of action:
1. Support the implementation of the military reform, by strengthening the institutional framework of the defence sector and improving the planning and monitoring of the reform.
2. Support the modernisation of the Defence administration, by strengthening human resources management, increasing digitalisation, and assisting administrative training.
3. Strengthen the accountability and relationship of trust between the armed forces and the population, by assisting training in ethics and professional conduct, strengthening oversight bodies in the defence sector, and supporting the dialogue between the armed forces and the population.
4. Strengthen the army’s capability to support and protect civilian populations in the conflict zones in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces, through a greater protection of people by the armed forces, better care for victims by the army medical corps, and improved living conditions for troops in the zone.
Under this organisation, Expertise France is responsible for the overall coordination and the implementation of components 1 and 4, and Enabel for components 2 and 3.
The project also benefits from support from French and Belgian military cooperation and private service providers.
