Date of publication:

07/07/2025

Democratic Republic of the Congo (the)

Is the state a member of any international and regional governmental organisation that influence forcibly displaced persons issues?

ANALYSIS
  • African Union (joined in 1963). The African Union has various decision-making institutions, among which: the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, the Executive Council, the Permanent Representatives Committee, the Peace and Security Council, the African Union Commission and the Pan-African Parliament. The African Union aims to further the development of the member states through collaboration and solidarity. This entails promotion of peace, economic development, human rights and democracy. The Specialised Technical Committee on Migration, Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons is a crucial instrument of the African Union to ensure protection and assistance to these key populations.
  • Common Market for Eastern and Southern African (joined in 1981, formerly the Preferential Trade Area). The leadership of COMESA is shared between the COMESA Authority (composed of the 21 Heads of State and Government of Member States) and the Council of Ministers. Its executive organ is the Secretariat. It aims to form an economic and trade unit to develop resources of the Member States.
  • The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) (joined in 1983). Its main institutions are the Conference of Heads of State and Government and the Council of Ministers. Its executive body since the institutional reform of 2019 is the Commission. ECCAS has defined several missions, including guaranteeing peace and security within the region through political cooperation; economic and financial integration through the establishment of a common market and the free movement of goods, capital and services within the regiona ; physical integration through the development of infrastructure and land-use planning, such as road, rail, air and sea links, to create a common space and promote the free movement of people, goods and services; and social and human development integration to eliminate poverty in all its forms.
  • Southern African Development Community (joined in 1998). The SADC leadership is shared between the SADC Chairperson (currently H.E. Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo) and the SADC Secretariat. The SADC objective is to achieve sustainable development in Southern Africa by alleviating poverty, defending peace and security and strengthening relations between its member states.
  • International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (joined in 2003). The Supreme organ of the Conference is the Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Member States. The Inter-Ministerial Committee is the executive organ of the Conference. The Conference Secretariat, supervised by an Executive Secretary, is the technical and coordinating organ of the Conference. The ICGLR was founded to establish peace and stability in the region of the Great Lake.
  • The African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES) (joined in 2011). Its supreme body is the Council of Ministers, which meets once a year in ordinary session. Its executive body is the General Secretariat, whose Secretary General is appointed by the Council of Ministers. CAMES aims to promote cooperation in research and higher education between member states, notably through a system of diploma equivalence.
  • East African Community (joined in 2022). The Council of Ministers is the central organ of the EAC decision-making process, while the Summit of Heads of Government of Partner States gives strategic directions. The Secretariat is the executive organ of the EAC. Its purpose is to form a united economic and political bloc in the region.