Tshopo: National scientific conference on the evaluation of the Constitution launched in Kisangani

Kisangani, June 10^th, 2026 (CPA).- A national scientific conference on the evaluation of the Constitution of February 18^th, 2006 was officially launched on Wednesday at a public university in Kisangani, capital of Tshopo Province in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), CPA observed. “Twenty years after the adoption of the Constitution of February 18, 2006, the time is appropriate to conduct an objective assessment of its implementation in order to identify the progress achieved, as well as the shortcomings, persistent challenges and possible avenues for improvement capable of further strengthening democracy and the rule of law,” declared Professor Mathieu Kirongozi, Rector of the University of Kisangani. According to him, the simultaneous organization of the conference in Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Kisangani, bringing together academics, researchers, experts and institutional stakeholders, reflects the determination to mobilize the country’s leading intellectual forces around a “pluralistic, rigorous and constructive” reflection on the institutional future of the DRC. Representing the Minister in charge of Higher and University Education, Scientific Research and Innovation (ESURSI), the Chief of Staff, Professor Hilaire Makindu, stated that the conference aims to provide a scientific contribution to the ongoing debates on the Constitution. “It is essential to prioritize scientific, objective and rigorous discussions in order to establish a serious diagnosis of our Constitution and identify its strengths, weaknesses and achievements,” he added, warning against emotional approaches and the excessive politicization of constitutional debates. He explained that the conference, organized at the initiative of the ministry, is structured around several thematic clusters and distributed across different geographical areas of the country, with the objective of producing recommendations to guide public decision-makers. “What we are undertaking today is not merely an intellectual exercise, but a genuine act of nation-building that engages our collective responsibility toward present and future generations,” the Minister’s representative stressed, calling on participants to promote an open and constructive scientific debate.

Adapting the 2006 Constitution to contemporary changes

In his presentation, Professor Faustin Toengaho, a lecturer in political science and constitutional affairs specialist, advocated for adapting the Constitution of February 18^th, 2006 to contemporary developments. According to him, despite constitutional provisions affirming State sovereignty over national resources, significant challenges remain in terms of transparency, the fight against corruption and the equitable distribution of revenues. “The 2006 Constitution did not anticipate the current strategic importance of issues related to climate change, digital technology and artificial intelligence. Concerns such as personal data protection, digital surveillance, and misinformation and information manipulation have now become major challenges,” Professor Toengaho added. The three-day conference, organized from June 10^th to 12^th, 2026 under the theme “Evaluation of the Constitution of February 18^th, 2006, Twenty Years Later,” will enable academics and experts to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the country’s fundamental law.