As the debate over constitutional reform continues to split the political and social landscape in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the issue made its way to Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday, 29 June 2026. The forum was an interactive dialogue held during the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, dedicated to the first official update from the Independent UN Commission of Inquiry on human rights in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.
Speaking at the event, Abdoul Aziz Thioye, Deputy Director of the Global Operations Division at the UN Human Rights Office, delivered remarks on behalf of High Commissioner Volker Türk. He expressed concern over the shrinking civic and political space in the DRC, specifically citing recent opposition protests in Kinshasa against any move to amend the constitution.
Thioye, who previously served as head of the UN Joint Human Rights Office (BCNUDH) in the DRC for several years, stressed that any constitutional revision must be anchored in a national consensus to safeguard social cohesion.
“Any constitutional reform process must rely on a national consensus and respect the country’s human rights commitments. All voices must be heard and taken into account; otherwise, social cohesion could suffer serious consequences,” warned Thioye.
On another matter, the former BCNUDH chief highlighted the UN’s support, through that office, in combating impunity in the DRC despite financial constraints and staff reductions.
He stated that this assistance led to the conviction of 109 individuals. Additionally, 150 human rights defenders, journalists, and their family members received support.
“Since our last update to the Council, we have assisted authorities in organising three judicial investigations into serious human rights violations as well as five mobile court hearings. These proceedings resulted in the conviction of 109 people. We also supported 150 human rights defenders and journalists, including their families, through psychological, legal, and financial aid as well as relocation measures,” Thioye explained.
In the DRC, the constitutional reform debate has sparked two opposing coalitions: the Article 64 Coalition for the Defence of the Constitutional Order (C64) and the Coalition of Congolese for Constitutional Change (C4). Each group claims popular backing to achieve its respective objectives.
This debate unfolds against the backdrop of another major national challenge: the security crisis in eastern DRC, fuelled by both local and foreign armed groups. The situation is further complicated by clashes involving the AFC/M23 rebellion, which is backed by Rwanda and controls large swathes of North Kivu and South Kivu. The ADF insurgency adds to the instability, while diplomatic initiatives appear stalled—more progress on paper than on the ground.
