Kinshasa, August 5th, 2026 (CPA).- The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo has been informed of the forthcoming launching in France of an awareness campaign on the Congolese genocides by the Collective of French Elected Representatives of Congolese Origin from Kinshasa (Cefock), during an audience granted to its delegation, according to the Congolese Presidency.
“On this occasion, the elected representatives announced the launch, as soon as the new academic year begins in France, of a wide-ranging awareness campaign on the Genocost. This initiative includes, in particular, remembrance and advocacy activities targeting local authorities, French institutions and the Congolese diaspora,” stated the presidential source.
To ensure the success of this initiative, Cefock plans to carry it out in close collaboration with the Inter-institutional Commission for Victim Assistance and Reform Support, as part of its efforts to support the Congolese state.
“CEFOCK will carry out this initiative in partnership with the Inter-institutional Commission for Victim Assistance and Reform Support (CIA-VAR), with the aim of promoting the duty to remember and strengthening recognition of the victims of the Congolese genocide in order to achieve economic gains,” the source said.
Established in 2022 on the initiative of President Félix Tshisekedi, National Genocost Day is celebrated on August 2nd each year. The theme for the 2026 event is: ‘Now that you know, what will you do?’. It aims to raise awareness amongst all sectors of society about the importance of preserving the memory of the victims, whilst calling on them to take action to put an end to further massacres.
In his address delivered during the commemorative ceremony, the Head of State called for a strengthening of efforts to secure international recognition of the Génocost. He expressed the hope that this advocacy would now extend beyond national borders, relying in particular on more active and sustained diplomacy on the international stage.
“But our efforts must not stop at our borders. Our diplomatic service must fully assume its responsibility for the international recognition of Congolese history. (…) I therefore call on our diplomatic and consular missions to pursue this diplomacy of remembrance, truth and justice with method and determination,” he emphasised.