The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s National Assembly has launched debates on the proposed military programming law for 2027-2030, a strategic financial framework designed to modernize the country’s armed forces.

Defense Minister Guy Kabombo Muadiamvita presented the draft legislation to lawmakers on Tuesday, July 14, following his official visit to Egypt. The proposed law aims to establish a stable budget framework for equipping, modernizing, and strengthening the Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo (FARDC) while eliminating budgetary improvisation.

According to the Defense Ministry’s communications team, the 2027-2030 military programming law represents a continuation of efforts to professionalize and restructure the armed forces. This follows the expiration of the previous 2022-2025 law, which had already laid the groundwork for sector modernization.

Six strategic pillars outlined

Speaking before parliament, Minister Kabombo outlined six key programs underpinning the new military programming law:

• General administration: Human resources management as the foundation for national defense
• Military training and research: Enhancing professional capabilities
• Equipment and materials: Modernizing the armed forces’ arsenal
• Infrastructure development: Building and upgrading military facilities
• Operations and intelligence: Strengthening military capacity
• Defense industry: Promoting domestic military production

The minister emphasized that these programs align with President Félix Tshisekedi’s vision for transforming the FARDC into a modern, professional fighting force capable of addressing both internal and external threats.

New defense fund to support military modernization

Kabombo also highlighted the establishment of a Fonds de Soutien au Développement des FARDC (FSD-FARDC), a dedicated fund to support the military modernization effort. The fund will mobilize additional resources from public and private partners to strengthen the national defense apparatus.

Addressing the urgent security situation in eastern DRC, particularly the ongoing conflict involving the M23 rebel group, the minister stressed the need for adequate funding through the national budget to ensure the success of military reforms.

This legislative initiative comes amid diplomatic efforts, including the Washington peace agreement between DRC and Rwanda mediated by the United States, though security challenges persist in the eastern provinces.