DRC: Belgium calls for the ratification of two Draft Conventions in judicial matters
The Kingdom of Belgium is pleading for the ratification by parliament of two new bills adopted by the Council of Ministers on Friday 01 October. These are the bills on the authorization of ratification of the mutual legal assistance convention and the bill on the authorization of ratification of the convention on the transfer of sentenced persons.
Its ambassador in the Democratic Republic of Congo Joe Indekeu informed the Minister of State, Minister of Justice Rose Mutombo during a hearing on Thursday, October 07, 2021. The adoption of these texts is part of the framework of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
“I came to see the Minister of State, Minister of Justice to talk about judicial cooperation between the DRC and Belgium. We have several projects in common. It was important to be able to discuss, to see and to note the progress which have been notified and which have been made recently. There are many contacts between the various Belgian and Congolese authorities. But a framework is needed and we hope that with the approval of the draft laws in relation to the ratification of the bilateral treaty on mutual legal assistance that we will provide this framework.We welcome this approval of the draft laws, the Belgian diplomat at the end of the hearing with Rose Mutombo.
After debates and deliberations, the government adopted at the 22nd meeting of the Council of Ministers two draft conventions on judicial matters signed on April 29, 2009, within the framework of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Belgium and
the Democratic Republic of Congo. These two texts presented by the Minister of State, Minister of the Justice and Keeper of the Seals Rose Mutombo.
According to the report made by Patrick Muyaya Spokesman of the government, the first Bill concerning the authorization of ratification of the Convention of mutual legal assistance. This text the commitment of these two countries to grant each other assistance in all criminal proceedings aimed at offenses whose repression is, at the time when mutual assistance is requested, within the competence of the judicial authorities of the party.
The second Bill concerns the authorization of ratification of the Convention on the transfer of sentenced persons. The ultimate objective of this collaboration is to offer foreigners the possibility of being sentenced in their social environment of origin.
Clement MUAMBA