Defence Integration Debates in the DRC Peace Process Experts Workshop Report

This report details an experts workshop organized by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and Labor Optimus to discuss defence integration within the peace process of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The document analyzes the historical failures of Congolese military governance, the prioritization of defence integration over demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration (DDR), and the role of regional cooperation through the South African Development Community (SADC) in stabilizing the security sector.

• In the Congolese peace process, defence integration has been prioritized over demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration (DDR). This sequencing is described as a political rather than military decision, intended as a short-term measure to end hostilities and create space for the democratisation of state institutions.
• The DRC possesses significant but disorganized military capabilities, with approximately 300,000 trained combatants available for integration. These include 200,000 from the former Forces Armees Zairoises (FAZ), 50,000 from Laurent Kabila's AFDL army, and the remainder from Mai-Mai militia groups.
• Historical military failures in the DRC are attributed to a lack of democratic control and the replacement of professionalism with ethnic and regional representativity. Under the Mobutu regime, the security sector was characterized by clientelism, kleptocratic practices, and the use of military positions for rent-seeking and business patronage.
• The 'war economy' in the Great Lakes region has been destructive to state stability, fostering high levels of corruption and illegal regional integration. The report argues that sustainable defence integration requires simultaneous reforms in the public service and business development sectors to absorb personnel excesses from the security sector.
• The workshop aimed to sensitize the DRC transitional government to utilize regional mechanisms, specifically the SADC Organ for Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation (OPDSC). The report notes that the DRC has since intensified its SADC participation and signed a defence pact with South Africa.

APA

Kibasomba, R. (n.d.). Defence Integration Debates in the DRC Peace Process Experts Workshop Report. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SOLIDARITYDEFENCEINTRO.PDF

Chicago

Kibasomba, Roger. Defence Integration Debates in the DRC Peace Process Experts Workshop Report. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SOLIDARITYDEFENCEINTRO.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kibasomba |first1=Roger |title=Defence Integration Debates in the DRC Peace Process Experts Workshop Report |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SOLIDARITYDEFENCEINTRO.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kibasombanddefence, author = {Kibasomba, Roger}, title = {{Defence Integration Debates in the DRC Peace Process Experts Workshop Report}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SOLIDARITYDEFENCEINTRO.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }