Kinshasa, October 12th, 2025 (CPA).- The implementation of the recommendations made by participants at the first National Human Rights Forum in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was assured on Saturday by the government, noted the Minister of State for Justice during the closing ceremony at the People’s Palace in central Kinshasa. « During this forum, you identified persistent and current challenges, particularly in the areas of justice and the security of public freedoms (…), and you made concrete recommendations to strengthen the rule of law and improve access to justice in order to guarantee the protection of everyone’s rights. The Prime Minister, as head of government, has reaffirmed her government’s commitment to implementing the recommendations, » said Guillaume Ngefa, Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, representing the Head of State. For his part, Mr Samuel Mbemba, Minister of Human Rights, noted that the first edition of the National Human Rights Forum had ushered in a new era of ongoing dialogue between the government and other actors in the human rights sector. ‘This work paves the way for ongoing dialogue and calls for the recognition of the genocide committed in the DRC,’ he said. He also stated that, as an official human rights defender, he is committed to working with human rights defenders (HRDs) and Congolese civil society organizations to block the path of all those who violate human rights in the country. ‘While thanking the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister, I commend the quality of the work accomplished and, at the same time, I assure you that anyone who violates the rights of the Congolese people will meet with our opposition,’ he insisted, inviting the participants in this Forum not to forget the fight for recognition of the genocide committed in the DRC and for transitional justice.
For his part, Paul Nsapu, President of the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), praised the work done by the participants, who, in his view, had made a lucid diagnosis and formulated ambitious proposals, reflecting the common desire in the DRC to strengthen the national system for the promotion and protection of human rights. ‘As a national institution supporting democracy, the CNDH reaffirms its willingness to continue working with the Ministry of Human Rights and all state, institutional and non-state partners to ensure the effective implementation of the recommendations resulting from this work,’ said Paul Nsapu, president of the CNDH-DRC. He also stated that his institution would continue to support the state and all initiatives aimed at strengthening human rights governance, protecting victims and witnesses of violations, and promoting the work of human rights defenders (HRDs) throughout the country. « On the subject of national memory and recognition of the Génocost, allow me to emphasize a historic recommendation that emerged from our discussions: The National Human Rights Forum solemnly invites the Parliament of the DRC to adopt a resolution, or even a law, recognizing the Genocost, that is to say, the genocide suffered by the Congolese people for several decades amid the indifference of the international community, » insisted the president of the CNDH. The date has been set for the second edition, in a year’s time, in October 2026, for what is now known as ‘The Parliament of Human Rights Actors’. Finally, he expressed the wish to see this Forum institutionalized as a regular forum for dialogue, evaluation and action in favor of human rights in the country. ACP/