Situation Report: The Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration Process in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A Never-Ending Story! Henri Boshoff

The recent incidents of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are a clear reflection of the effect of non-completion of the demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration (DDR) process. During a visit to the Institute for Security Studies in January 2007, Ambassador Ajelo, the then European Ambassador for the Great Lakes Region, made it clear that the completion of the DDR process and the start of Security Sector Reform (SSR) are crucial for the successful post-conflict reconstruction process in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This statement is in conformity with Herbert Wulf`s definition of SSR as "the transformation of the security system which includes all the actors, their roles, responsibility and actions, so that it is managed and operated in a manner that is more consistent with to a well-functioning security framework. Responsible and accountable security force reduce the risk of conflict, provide security for citizens and create... a secure environment that is conductive to development."