On April 16, at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington DC, unveiled a new report by several organizations on the urgent need for security sector reform in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Panelists underscored, among other things, the lack of political will, funding by donors with no visible results, lack of soldiers salaries and lack of a well-structured military command.

Some members of the Congolese diaspora who attended the briefing dismissed the claim of lack of political will by saying that it is contradictory

To continue funding the current government of Congo led by President Joseph Kabila, who does not have the political will to enact overdue reforms and participated in rigging the presidential elections in November, would be ridiculous. Furthermore, the diaspora dismissed the focus on training Congolese forces by US and European donor countries saying that there are already a very good number of Congolese trained in some of the best schools abroad and are ready and capable of seeting up regiments to defend the country and the people.  However, what does the record of Congolese armed forces from the reign of the late President Mubutu to today reveal? Read the report here.