Since the start of 2025, the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has seen a sharp escalation in conflict between the M23 rebel group and the FARDC (the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo) and their allied armed groups. Apart from demonstrators attacking several Western embassies on 28 January 2025, the conflict in the east has not notably impacted security conditions in Kinshasa.
The ongoing communal conflict in the Kwamouth territory of Maï-Ndombe province, which began in 2022, occasionally spills over into the Mbankana (or Bankana) area of the Maluku commune in Kinshasa province. This area is located approximately 100 kilometres from the outermost neighbourhoods of the city of Kinshasa.
The United Nations Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) lists Kinshasa province as one of those not affected by armed conflict. While the Congolese capital is subject to sporadic security incidents involving the security forces, security conditions there are overwhelmingly affected by common crime, which several sources describe as high.
Policy
The policy implemented by the Commissioner General is based on a thorough analysis of accurate and up-to-date information on the general situation in the country of origin. This information is collated in a professional manner from various, objective sources, including the EUAA, the UNHCR, relevant international human rights organisations, non-governmental organisations, professional literature and coverage in the media. When determining policy, the Commissioner General does not only examine the COI Focuses written by Cedoca and published on this website, as these deal with just one aspect of the general situation in the country of origin. The fact that a COI Focus could be out-of-date does not mean that the policy that is being implemented by the Commissioner General is no longer up-to-date.
When assessing an application for asylum, the Commissioner General not only considers the actual situation in the country of origin at the moment of decision-making, he also takes into account the individual situation and personal circumstances of the applicant for international protection. Every asylum application is examined individually. An applicant must comprehensively demonstrate that he has a well-founded fear of persecution or that there is a clear personal risk of serious harm. He cannot, therefore, simply refer back to the general conditions in his country, but must also present concrete, credible and personal facts.
There is no policy paper for this country available on the website.