Declaration of Fundamental Principles of the Inter-Congolese Political Negotiations

Export agreement:

Export agreement coding (PDF)

Country/entity: Democratic Republic of Congo
Region: Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name: Declaration of Fundamental Principles of the Inter-Congolese Political Negotiations
Date: 4 May 2001
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Congo Civil Wars (1996 - )
The overthrow of the long-term dictator Mobutu Sese Seko by a rebel Tutsi army backed by Uganda and Rwanda in 1997 acted as a catalyst for a war with regional dimensions, mainly fought in the eastern Kivu provinces. The conflict escalated in 1998, when President Laurent Kabila, then backed by Zimbabwean and Angolan troops, ordered Rwanda and Uganda to leave. After Kabila’s assassination in 2001, his son Joseph took over the presidency and won in the 2006 democratic elections.

In the eastern provinces, Tutsi-led militias, mainly organised in the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP), fought the remnants of the Rwandan Hutu force FDLR, with further involvement of Rwandan and Ugandan troops. Other regionally operating militia groups, like the Lord’s Resistance Army from Northern Uganda, the so-called Mai Mai groups or short-lived guerrilla outfits like the March 23 Movement (M23) further contributed, and still contribute, to the complexity of the situation in eastern DRC.
Stage: Pre-negotiation/process
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: DRC: Second Congo war process
Parties: Signed (illegible)
The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Movement for the Liberation of Congo

Congolese Rally for Democracy

Congolese Rally for Democracy-ML
Third parties: -
Description: This short agreement defines the principles for the final settlement for the Inter- Congolese Political Negotiations.

Agreement document: CD_010504_DeclarationFundamentalPrinciplesInter-CongoleseNegotiations.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: Groups→Racial/ethnic/national group→Rhetorical
Page 1, II. Principles:
...
3. National reconciliation and a new political order as the basis for rebuilding a Democratic Republic of the Congo where the people are united, reconciled and free of tribalism, regionalism, ethnicism and all forms of hatred.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): Page 1, II. Principles

2. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: Page 2, II. Principles

9. The organization of free, democratic and transparent elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after the transitional period.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: Page 1, II. Principles

5. The inclusion of the political opposition and the representatives of the Forces Vives of the nation in the inter-Congolese political negotiations, within which all participants have equal status.

6. The freedom of the political opposition and the Forces Vives, in all the provinces, at the invitation of the Facilitator after consultations with the Congolese parties, to designate their representatives to the Inter-Congolese Dialogue.

Page 3, II. Principles

13. Support for humanitarian assistance across the whole country.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: Page 2, II. Principles

13. Support for humanitarian assistance across the whole country.
Bill of rights/similar: Page 2, II. Principles

12. A final, irrevocable halt to all acts of violence against civilians through respect for and observance of human rights.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: Page 2, II. Principles

9. The organization of free, democratic and transparent elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after the transitional period.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: Socio-economic reconstruction→Development or socio-economic reconstruction→Socio-economic development
Page 2, II. Principles

11. The utilization of the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the interests of the whole country and for the improvement of the living standards of the Congolese people.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: Page 2, II. Principles

11. The utilization of the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo in the interests of the whole country and for the improvement of the living
standards of the Congolese people.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: No specific mention.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: Page 2, II. Principles
...
10. The formation of a restructured, integrated national army.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: Page 1, I. Preamble

Recalling the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement and our agreement to do our utmost to facilitate inter-Congolese political negotiations which should lead to peace, national reconciliation and a new political dispensation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we, the Congolese Parties, namely the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Congolese Rally for Democracy and the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo, hereby solemnly reconfirm our commitment to the following principles:

Page 1, II. Principles

3. National reconciliation and a new political order as the basis for rebuilding a Democratic Republic of the Congo where the people are united, reconciled and free of tribalism, regionalism, ethnicism and all forms of hatred.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: http://peacemaker.un.org/

Declaration of Fundamental Principles, of the Inter- Congolese Political Negotiations, signed by the Congolese parties to the Agreement for Ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lusaka, 4 May 2001

Declaration of fundamental principles accepted by the Congolese signatories to the Lusaka Agreement

I. Preamble

Recalling the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement and our agreement to do our utmost to facilitate inter-Congolese political negotiations which should lead to peace, national reconciliation and a new political dispensation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we, the Congolese Parties, namely the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Congolese Rally for Democracy and the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo, hereby solemnly reconfirm our commitment to the following principles:

II. Principles

1. The reaffirmation of our respect for all the provisions of the Lusaka Agreement.

2. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

3. National reconciliation and a new political order as the basis for rebuilding a Democratic Republic of the Congo where the people are united, reconciled and free of tribalism, regionalism, ethnicism and all forms of hatred.

4. The promotion of an environment for lasting peace, security and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the subregion.

5. The inclusion of the political opposition and the representatives of the Forces Vivesof the nation in the inter-Congolese political negotiations, within which all participants have equal status.

6. The freedom of the political opposition and the Forces Vives, in all the provinces, at the invitation of the Facilitator after consultations with the Congolese parties, to designate their representatives to the Inter-Congolese Dialogue.

7. Consensus as the means for adopting all decisions regarding issues discussed during the inter-Congolese political negotiations.

8. Recognition, by all parties, of the binding nature of all resolutions adopted by consensus during the inter-Congolese political negotiations.