FONAREV: Symbol of Congo's Sovereignty Against External Attacks

The recent criticism targeting the National Fund for Reparation of Conflict Victims (FONAREV) extends beyond mere administrative debate. It reflects a deeper geopolitical confrontation between a Congo reclaiming its economic sovereignty and networks that have long profited from chaos and opacity in the mining sector. Behind these attacks lies an uncomfortable reality: the Democratic Republic of Congo is regaining control of its resources, embracing its power, and redefining its economic destiny.

A Project of African Economic Sovereignty

FONAREV is no ordinary fund. It embodies a new philosophy of economic governance: a state transforming its mineral wealth into an engine for justice and reconstruction. Under President Félix Tshisekedi's leadership, the DRC is breaking free from dependencies inherited from a system where its resources benefited others. This national mechanism aims to compensate war victims, but more importantly symbolizes Congo's determination to regain control of its subsoil. By linking reparation and sovereignty, FONAREV creates an African precedent: a model where natural resources primarily serve human development, not illicit external circuits.

Political Accusations Masking Other Interests

For several weeks, certain political and media channels have been multiplying unfounded accusations of "plunder" around FONAREV. Yet no independent report or judicial body has established any evidence. These attacks, often fueled by Rwandan or foreign interests, pursue a clear objective: to weaken the image of a Congo asserting its autonomy and disrupting regional balances. Accusing Kinshasa diverts attention from the real predatory networks that have been illegally exploiting gold, coltan, and cobalt in the East for years. Congolese people know the truth: while some profit from their suffering, the government is working to ensure national wealth finally funds peace and reconstruction.

FONAREV: A Tool for Justice and National Power

Beyond its social dimension, FONAREV is a diplomatic and strategic lever. By placing victim reparation at the heart of a sanitized mining economy, Congo restores economic and political value to justice. This approach, combining restorative justice and mining sovereignty, worries those who saw the DRC as a deposit open to all appetites. FONAREV disturbs because it redefines the hierarchy of regional powers: it imposes the idea of a strong Congo, aware of its strategic weight in global supply chains.

A Congo Inspiring Africa

This model already inspires beyond borders. By linking economy, memory, and reconstruction, the DRC proposes an African vision of development: one of a continent refusing the status of economic victim. President Tshisekedi embodies this line: building African sovereignty based on mastering natural resources and empowering national actors. Attacks against FONAREV therefore target not just a management mechanism: they target the very idea of a sovereign, strong Congo in control of its destiny.

FONAREV and FARG: Two Opposing Trajectories

Comparisons between FONAREV in the Democratic Republic of Congo and FARG in Rwanda illuminate two radically different models. The first is an instrument of sovereignty and social justice, piloted by the Congolese state and framed by clear legal guidelines, ensuring transparency and reparative purpose of funds. The second, often cited as a reference, has experienced documented management and politicization issues, with poorly accessible reports and marked dependence on foreign donors.

FONAREV, GENOCOST and Memorial Diplomacy

FONAREV is part of a broader strategy of restorative justice and historical recognition. Through the GENOCOST concept, the DRC designates the economic and humanitarian genocide suffered in the East: a tragedy marked by the deadly exploitation of its natural resources and the loss of millions of lives. This approach isn't merely legal: it's political and diplomatic. President Félix Tshisekedi now links the fight against impunity (through FONAREV) with international recognition of GENOCOST. This articulation illustrates a coherent vision: repairing, naming, and gaining recognition for crimes committed, so that Congolese collective memory becomes a lever for justice and sovereignty.

Sovereignty: Pillar of Justice

FONAREV isn't Congo's weakness, but its clearest response to decades of economic humiliation. External critics seek to discredit a country that, for the first time in long, speaks as an equal with its partners and refuses mining dependency. For ultimately, those attacking FONAREV fear a strong Congo: one that controls its subsoil, repairs its victims, and transforms its pain into power.