STRENGTHENING AFRICAN COOPERATION FOR RECONCILIATION, MENTAL HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE REDUCTION
Kinshasa – Johannesburg, 1st October 2025
The National Programme for Disarmament, Démobilisation, Community Recovery and Stabilisation (P-DDRCS) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR), a leading South African institution renowned for its work in research, transitional justice, mental health, and peacebuilding, have held a high-level institutional meeting aimed at exploring areas of strategic cooperation between the two institutions.
Discussions focused on several key areas of mutual interest, including institutional experience-sharing, community violence prevention and reduction, psychosocial and mental health support for ex-combatants, and reconciliation between demobilised combatants and their home or host communities. Both institutions also examined the issue of reparations for victims of armed conflict, with a special focus on women and children associated with, or affected by, armed groups. The dialogue underscored the importance of integrating a gender-sensitive perspective at the heart of all stabilisation and community recovery initiatives.
The meeting further provided an opportunity to exchange lessons learned in resource mobilisation, discuss the challenges posed by the current global economic context, and identify innovative approaches to sustainable financing for peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery programmes.
At the conclusion of the session, participants commended the constructive and forward-looking nature of the discussions, agreeing to establish a joint working group tasked with developing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise a structured collaboration framework. This framework will define a joint work plan and a shared resource mobilisation strategy, capitalising on the complementary expertise of the P-DDRCS and CSVR.
This initiative forms part of the P-DDRCS’s broader vision to promote sustainable peace rooted in local communities, and to strengthen African partnerships dedicated to stabilisation, national cohesion, and long-term development.
According to Professor Jean de Dieu Désiré Ntanga Ntita, PhD, National Coordinator of the P-DDRCS, the initiative aligns with the new vision positioning the Programme as a central instrument for peace consolidation and inclusive development in the Democratic Republic of theCongo. For its part, the CSVR leadership commended the proactive engagement of the Congolese Government and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting stabilisation and community reconciliation efforts in the DRC through its 35 years of experience in peacebuilding and post-conflict transformation.
This partnership marks a significant step towards establishing an African reference model for violence prevention, restorative justice, and sustainable social cohesion, anchored in shared values of solidarity, resilience, and mutual learning between African institutions.
Communication-Unit-P-DDRCS
