Completion of EUPOL DRC: advancing police reform in Congo

This week marks the closure of EUPOL DRC, the EU's Mission supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) security sector reform in the field of policing and its interaction with the justice system, in the framework of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). Since 2007, experts from EU Member States provided assistance, mentoring, support and advice to the Congolese authorities.

Despite numerous challenges over its first years - including recurrent fighting in the East of the country - EUPOL DRC successfully laid the ground for a more efficient, more accountable and more active police, capable of meeting the needs of all Congolese citizens.

The key achievements of the Mission include:

the adoption of an Organic Law building up the main police legal framework (Status of the Police, Planning Financial Law, etc.) and of a Plan Quinquennal of the police reform, all prepared with the mission's assistance;

the establishment of and support to the main coordination bodies of the police reform;

important steps towards the creation of a Police Academy and development of its curricula;

the mentoring and training of the Inspection Générale of the police;

the support the concept of community police;

the mainstreaming of human rights, gender and the fight against impunity for sexual violence in the training, advising and curricula developed.

This success was made possible by the dedication and professionalism of EUPOL's successive Heads of Mission and staff, by the increased local ownership and sense of responsibility among Congolese police authorities over the last years, as well as a very good cooperation among all international partners engaged in the police reform. In addition to a number of bilateral partners, including EU Member States, EUPOL DRC cooperated particularly closely with the United Nations Police (UNPOL), which will continue to play an important role in the strategic advice following EUPOL's closure.

The European Union itself will remain significantly involved, through the other instruments of its comprehensive approach, to ensure the results achieved by EUPOL can be maintained and sustained. EUPOL's tasks will be handed over to the DRC authorities with the support of the Programme d'appui à la réforme de la Police Nationale (PARP), under the 10th and 11th European Development Funds (EDF), as well as other projects implemented by the EU Delegation in Kinshasa in full coordination with other partners. This continued actions will be backed up a by a strong and continuous policy dialogue accompanying all elements of security sector reform developed by the authorities of the DRC.