KATOTO, A REPUBLICAN STRONGHOLD: P-DDRCS ESTABLISHES TERRITORIAL PEACE FRAMEWORK, REINFORCES STATE AUTHORITY IN POST-CONFLICT ZONES
26th September 25 ___ Katoto, Djugu Territory – Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of Congo
In a decisive assertion of institutional sovereignty, the Democratic Republic of Congo has taken a bold step toward stabilizing its post-conflict regions. On September 26, 2025, the National Program for Disarmament, Demobilization, Community Reintegration and Stabilization (P-DDRCS), the operational arm of the Head of State in matters of peacebuilding, officially inaugurated the Territorial Peace Coordination Framework (Cadre de Concertation pour la Paix en appui au Programme, CCPAP) in Katoto, a locality situated 45 kilometers northeast of Bunia.
This strategic and foundational initiative reflects the political will of His Excellency Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo to restore the authority of the State in fragile zones, ensure dignified and sustainable reintegration of former combatants, and anchor peace within local communities. Led by Police Territorial Administrator Commissioner Ruffin Mapela, the CCPAP of Djugu is far more than a coordination body—it is a proximity-based governance architecture designed to synchronize P-DDRCS interventions with local realities, community dynamics, and institutional imperatives.
The framework’s mandate is unequivocal: to ensure operational coherence of DDRCS activities on the ground, align state, customary, and community actors with the strategic directives of the national program, and foster intersectoral synergies with institutions such as the Ministry of Vocational Training, the National Mental Health Program, agricultural and veterinary services, and other relevant entities. Reporting both provincially and nationally, the CCPAP guarantees a dual accountability structure rooted in transparency, rigor, and institutional efficiency.
The establishment of the CCPAP in Katoto by His Excellency Professor Jean de Dieu Désiré NTANGA NTITA, PhD, P-DDRCS National Coordinator – marks a clear departure from fragmented practices of the past. It reaffirms the central role of P-DDRCS as the sole national authority for coordinating the DDR process, in accordance with Presidential Ordinance No. 21/038 of July 4, 2021. The program is no longer content with mere existence, it is asserting itself, embedding its presence, and acting. Active across territories and deeply engaged with communities, P-DDRCS embodies a republican vision of stabilization grounded in local ownership, endogenous resource mobilization, and the restoration of trust between the State and its citizens.
Socioeconomic reintegration, it must be emphasized, is a complex undertaking. It cannot be reduced to the distribution of farming tools or the scheduling of training sessions. It demands a holistic, integrated, and interinstitutional approach. It requires sustained accompaniment, nuanced understanding of vulnerabilities, and the ability to transform conflict dynamics into shared development opportunities. This is precisely what P-DDRCS is implementing in Katoto—reassuring not only direct beneficiaries, including former combatants and host communities, but also the broader social fabric by providing a structured, legitimate, and forward-looking framework.
This is not a routine administrative gesture. It is a powerful political signal. It is the State reclaiming its rightful place. It is the Republic reasserting its presence. It is the Nation rebuilding itself.
Communications Unit, P-DDRCS
