AFRICA/DR CONGO - A pact for peace in the east of the DRC

Monday, 20 January 2025 peace dialogue bishops

CONGO, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE

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Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - "Social pact for peace and coexistence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes Region". This is the name of the agreement signed by the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (Conférence Épiscopale Nationale du Congo, CENCO) and the Church of Christ in Congo (Église du Christ au Congo, ECC), body that brings together 64 Protestant and evangelical denominations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The initiative aims to restore peace in the country's tormented eastern provinces, which have been dominated by chaos and violence for more than 30 years, as hundreds of armed groups, often with foreign support, have been wreaking havoc there (see Fides, 17/1/2023).
The initiative was presented at a joint press conference in Kinshasa by the Secretaries General of CENCO and ECC respectively, Monsignor Donatien Nshole and Reverend Eric Nsenga, who expressed their hope that 2025 would be "the year of peace".
The Social Pact is inspired by the concept of “Bumuntu”, a concept rooted in African sociology and spirituality that calls each individual to empathy, mutual respect and solidarity. The “Bumuntu” culture, through its inclusive nature, promotes social cohesion and rejects the logic of exclusion and violence, which are incompatible with African identity.
The Social Pact is based on the following five fundamental principles: restoring social and spiritual values; resolving conflicts through dialogue and address root causes without violence; recognizing diversity to strengthen unity and the African continent as a whole; convincing political leaders to end armed conflicts, promote sustainable development and limit the exploitation of natural resources; encouraging sincere international support for justice, peace and environmental sustainability.
To implement the Social Pact, CENCO and ECC will set up thematic commissions for peace and social cohesion, which will draft a National Charter for peace and harmony, and finally an "International Conference for Peace, Joint Development and Coexistence in the Great Lakes Region" will be convened. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 20/1/2025)