FONAREV: Symbol of Congo's Sovereign Control Over Natural Resources

The recent criticism targeting the National Fund for Reparations to 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 reasserting control over its resources, embracing its power, and redefining its economic destiny.

A Project of African Economic Sovereignty

FONAREV is not just another fund. It embodies a new philosophy of economic governance: a state transforming its mineral wealth into an engine for justice and reconstruction. Under President Felix 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 rather than 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. However, 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 power balances. Accusing Kinshasa diverts attention from the real predatory networks that have been illegally exploiting gold, coltan, and cobalt in the East for years. Meanwhile, 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 serves as 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 viewed the DRC as a deposit open to all appetites. FONAREV disturbs because it redefines regional power hierarchies: 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 where the continent refuses the status of economic victim. President Tshisekedi embodies this line: building African sovereignty based on control of natural resources and empowerment of national actors. Attacks against FONAREV therefore target not just a management mechanism but 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 limited access to 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 Felix 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 as the 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. Ultimately, those attacking FONAREV fear a strong Congo: one that controls its subsoil, repairs its victims, and transforms its pain into power.