Kinshasa, June 14th, 2026 (CPA) . – The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been instructed by the Head of State to take all necessary measures to revive the country’s active participation in the International Centre for Bantu Civilizations (CICIBA), according to the report of the 92nd Council of Ministers, read on Friday on national television.
« He drew the Council’s attention to the strategic urgency of restoring our country’s active participation in the International Centre for Bantu Civilizations (CICIBA), within the framework of the institution’s 2026–2027 vision. Through its history, linguistic diversity and central position on the continent, the Democratic Republic of the Congo represents one of the principal cradles of Bantu civilization, » said Patrick Muyaya, Minister in charge of Communication and Media. According to Minister Patrick Muyaya, the President of the Republic believes that renewed Congolese participation in CICIBA would strengthen the country’s cultural and scientific influence, promote national languages and indigenous knowledge, enhance national heritage, and consolidate cultural diplomacy and regional integration. The Head of State further considered that the DRC could not remain on the sidelines of African mechanisms dedicated to the production and dissemination of knowledge on African civilizations, particularly in an international context marked by identity, memory and cultural competition issues.
To this end, he instructed the Government to intensify actions aimed at assessing the DRC’s participation in CICIBA and strengthening its partnership with the institution, which is expected to once again become a strategic instrument serving the African cultural renaissance and the international influence of the DRC. « The President of the Republic instructed, under the coordination of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, in collaboration with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Tourism and the Minister in charge of Regional Integration, to undertake several actions, including evaluating the DRC’s participation in CICIBA from administrative, legal, financial and diplomatic perspectives, regularizing the country’s commitments where necessary, and examining the possibility of hosting CICIBA activities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, » the Minister of Communication said. Furthermore, the Head of State encouraged the Government to pay greater attention to promoting the country’s cultural identity, civilizational heritage and intellectual diplomacy, considering them as fundamental pillars of national sovereignty and the DRC’s influence across Africa.