DRC Holds First-Ever Posts and Telecommunications Assembly to Shape Digital Future

The President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, has officially opened the first General Assembly of Posts and Telecommunications, held at the amphitheatre of the Cultural and Artistic Centre of Central African Countries (CCAPAC). The meeting brings together sector stakeholders to chart a roadmap for the country’s digital and communications transformation.

The assembly, which runs from April 27 to 29, was validated by the Council of Ministers in October 2025 and is aligned with one of the government’s six priority commitments focused on digital transformation, human capital development, and reducing territorial inequalities. The initiative is designed to strengthen national connectivity and modernise the postal and telecommunications ecosystem.

In his opening address, the President underscored the strategic importance of the sector in a rapidly evolving global environment, stressing that no country can achieve competitiveness, sovereignty, or sustainable growth while remaining excluded from global digital, logistical, and information networks. He highlighted key priorities including rural connectivity, improved service delivery, innovation, entrepreneurship, and greater inclusion for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises.

A strong emphasis was placed on digital security and sovereignty. The President noted the growing risks posed by cyber threats, data vulnerabilities, and technological dependence, stressing the importance of protecting communications systems and securing critical national infrastructure as a core state responsibility.

He outlined three key expectations from the assembly: a comprehensive diagnosis of the postal and telecommunications ecosystem, a practical and measurable roadmap with clear short-, medium-, and long-term priorities, and the establishment of a permanent coordination framework to ensure consistent implementation of reforms and monitoring of commitments.

The President further stated that modernising the sector goes beyond institutional reform, describing it as a foundation for national growth, expanded opportunity, stronger sovereignty, and improved integration of the country’s territories.

Special attention was also given to the postal service, which the President described as a critical but neglected component of national infrastructure. He stressed the need to reposition the postal system as a modern tool for territorial integration, administrative access, logistics, financial services, and social cohesion.

He noted that the current postal network is significantly degraded, with only a limited number of functional offices operating across the country, far below national requirements. The revival and modernisation of postal services were therefore identified as a central priority of the reforms under discussion.

The General Assembly has been positioned as a decisive platform aimed at producing concrete outcomes, shifting away from discussion-based dialogue toward a structured process focused on evidence-based planning, implementation, and measurable impact across the postal and telecommunications sector.