P-DDRCS STRENGTHENS ITS INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP: STRATEGIC AGREEMENT SIGNED IN DAKHLA ON PREVENTING CHILD SOLDIER RECRUITMENT
Dakhla, Kingdom of Morocco –The Disarmament, Demobilization, Community Recovery and Stabilization Program (P DDRCS) of the Democratic Republic of Congo signed, on November 21, 2025 in Dakhla, a strategic Protocol of Agreement with the International Research Center on the Prevention of Child Soldiers (CIRPES). This commitment marks a significant milestone in scientific and institutional cooperation on preventing child recruitment and consolidating peace across Africa.
Through this act, the P DDRCS reaffirms its role as a reference actor on the international stage, demonstrating the Congolese Government’s determination to provide a credible, structured, and sovereign response to the phenomenon of Children Associated with Armed Forces and Groups (CAAFAG), while mobilizing African expertise to strengthen child protection.
The Protocol of Agreement provides for the development of joint research programs, training of cadres and experts, scientific analysis of conflict dynamics involving children, and the international dissemination of knowledge and best practices drawn from the Congolese experience. It also paves the way for expanded cooperation between structures under the authority of the P DDRCS and CIRPES partner institutions.
Speaking on behalf of the P DDRCS, National Coordinator Professor Jean de Dieu Désiré Ntanga Ntita emphasized that the DRC bears a major responsibility in protecting children affected by armed conflicts. He underlined that this international collaboration aims to strengthen the technical, legal, and scientific tools necessary to prevent child recruitment, while affirming the sovereignty of the DRC over the entire DDRCS process.
CIRPES President and CEO, Professor Abdelkader Filali, welcomed the commitment of the P DDRCS and acknowledged its central role in developing African solutions tailored to the realities of children impacted by armed violence.
This strategic partnership is fully aligned with the vision of the P DDRCS, which seeks to promote African mechanisms of prevention, reintegration, and community resilience. It contributes to reinforcing the DRC’s influence within continental and international initiatives dedicated to child protection and post conflict stabilization.
The P DDRCS reaffirms its commitment to working with partners in a framework of transparency, mutual respect, and balanced cooperation, with the objective of ensuring child protection, consolidating peace, and sustainably strengthening the stability of communities affected by conflict.
P-DDRCS Communication Unit
