‘‘Challenges to Achieving Sustainable Peace in Democratic Republic of Congo’’: A Case Study of North Kivu Province.

Abstract

The article focuses on challenges to achieving sustainable peace in Democratic Republic of Congo, and specifically examines North Kivu Province from 1996 to 2017. It explores factors affecting peace-building process in order to ensure sustainable peace in DRC at the structural level. Qualitative research indicates that there is peace in DRC but not what DRC people look ahead to. People are experiencing negative peace. Quantitative data has been collected from individuals interested in peace building process. In this study, challenges to achieving sustainable peace in DRC are explored using survey data collected from 384 respondents including local population, civil society activists and political leaders. The results indicate that 90.94% of respondents realized that key challenges to achieving sustainable peace in DRC include but not limited to bad governance, democratic deficit, deficit of judicial system and dictatorial regime. Up to 84.41%, they have reported that those challenges resulted into rebellion and uncontrolled armed groups, unequal distribution of national resources, weak participation of the population in decision-making, illicit exploitation of natural resources and political instability among others. To handle the situation, unanimously, respondents realized that the fact is possible through national dialogue, good governance and institution building resulting into united nation, good governance indicators and institutions functioning. Finally, the study recommended the following policies: coalition to struggle for good governance, struggle for rule of the law and education for democracy.