En 2022, la République démocratique du Congo avait lancé les travaux de construction du port en eau profonde de Banana. En termes géopolitique, les 37 km de façade sur l’Océan atlantique que possède ce pays devraient être valorisés, car l’état du bief maritime dans cette façade ne permettait pas aux navires hauturiers d’accéder aux infrastructures portuaires en place, notamment les ports maritimes de Matadi et de Boma. Mais aussi, depuis quelques années une dynamique s’est développée autour ce qu’on appelle aujourd’hui "Processus des États africains atlantiques (PEAA)". Il s'agit dans ce colloque de déblayer le terrain et suggérer aux décideurs politiques, sur la base de quelques données fiables, certaines options nécessaires à lever pour le bien être, l’existence et la survie de la nation congolaise au sein de ce Processus.

Argument

On the 24 September 2024, on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the fourth Ministerial Meeting of the Atlantic African States Process (PEAA) was held in New York, accompanied by a declaration named "New York Declaration II." A few days later, on the 5October 2024, the annual meeting of the Mediterranean Studies and Research Group (GERM) took place in Rabat (Morocco), under the theme: "The Dynamics of Atlantic Coastal African Countries: Issues and Perspectives."

Before this scientific and diplomatic meeting, the Congolese president, Mr. Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, had already launched the construction of the deep-water port of Banana in 2022.

Geopolitically, the 37 km coastline on the Atlantic Ocean that the Democratic Republic of Congo possesses should be valued, as the state of the maritime channel in this area did not allow ocean-going vessels to access the existing port infrastructures, particularly the maritime ports of Matadi and Boma. This situation led the former Head of State, Mr. Joseph Kabila, to sign a collaboration agreement with the Emirati company DP World in 2018. Upon taking office in 2019, Mr. Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, reviewed some clauses of this agreement.

Given the stakes surrounding the southern Atlantic coastline and the irreversibility of the Atlantic African States Process (PEAA), the Congolese Independent and Interdisciplinary Research Centre (CRIIC), in partnership with the University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN), is at the scientific forefront to clear the ground and suggest to political decision-makers, based on reliable data, certain necessary options to enhance the well-being, existence, and survival of the Congolese nation within this Process.

In light of the foregoing, profound reflections will be focused on the following main theme: "The Democratic Republic of Congo in the Atlantic African States Process: Assets, Issues and Perspectives."

The following three topics will thus be explored:

a) The Atlantic policy of the DRC in the thematic group "political dialogue and security";

b) The DRC in the economic and freshwater war through the blue economy, maritime connectivity, and energy;

c) The DRC in sustainable development and the environment: issues and perspectives.

Submission guidelines

To be considered, authors will draft their texts according to the following criteria:

1. Texts will be written in French or English.

2. Titles, abstracts, and keywords will be presented in both languages.

3. A brief CV of the author will appear below their name after the title of the text;

4. Abstracts will be a maximum of 250 words.

5. Keywords will not exceed five.

6. Citations, references, and the bibliography will follow the classic model (footnotes).

7. The font will be Times New Roman, size 14; paragraph: a) alignment: justified, b) left and right indent 0 cm, spacing before 0 pt, spacing after 6 pt, single line spacing will be respected in the text, and size 10 for abstracts, keywords, tables, images, photos, and graphs, the bibliography.

8. The number of words: a maximum of 8000 words, including titles, abstracts, keywords, tables, images, photos, graphs, bibliography, and any appendices.

9. All manuscripts will be submitted to CRIIC in Word format via email: contactcriic@gmail.com

The deadline for submitting abstracts is set for

Tuesday 11 February 2025, at 3:00 PM GMT.

Authors whose abstracts are accepted will be notified on Friday the 28 February 2025.

To participate in the conference in person or remotely, accepted authors must send their manuscripts ready for publication via email: contactcriic@gmail.com by Friday, the 21March 2025, at 3:00 PM GMT.

Invitations for speakers will be sent on Monday, the 31 March 2025.

The conference will take place in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) from Thursday, the 28 August to Saturday the 30 August 2025, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM local time.

Scientific committee

•  BANDENDISSA Fernand Ph. D., Socio-anthropologue de santé, Université Marien Ngouabi Brazzaville/République du Congo ;
•  KOFFI Konan Donald Ph. D., Historien, Université Félix Houphouët Boigny de Cocody-Abidjan/Côte d’Ivoire ;
•  EBWEME YONZABA Jacques Ph. D., Sociologue des relations internationales, Université de Kinshasa/République Démocratique du Congo (RDC) ;
•  KALELE -ka- BILA Mathieu Ph. D., Sociologue du développement, Université de Kinshasa/RDC ;
•  PALAMA BONGO NZINGA François Ph. D., Socio-économiste de l’éducation, Université de Kinshasa/RDC ;
•  BOPE LOBO BUNDWOONG Albert Ph. D., Sociologue du développement, Université Pédagogique National/RDC ;
•  BAENDA FIMBO Zacharie Ph. D., Internationaliste, Université de Kinshasa/RDC ;
•  IBRAHIMA NIANG Ph. D., Socio-anthropologue du Développement, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar/Sénégal ;
•  KIKANGALA NGOY Jeanneau Ph. D., Politologue, Université de Kinshasa/RDC ;
•  LIYONGO EMPENGELE Jean Ph. D., Sociologue de la communication,
• Université de Kinshasa/RDC ;
•  GHIMBI Nicaise Léandre Ph. D., Psychologue clinicien, Université Marien Ngouabi/République du Congo ;
•  MAMBI TUNGA-BAU Héritier Ph. D., Politologue, Université de Kinshasa/RDC ;
•  MBALANDA LAWUNDA Willy Ph. D., Sociologue de l’Environnement,
• Université de Kinshasa/RDC ;
•  MEVA’A ABOMO Dominique Ph. D., Géographe de la santé Université de Douala/Cameroun ;
•  BILOSO MOYENE Apollinaire Ph. D., Agronome, Université de Kinshasa/RDC ;
•  LIMBAKA BOFOLO Henry Ph. D., Economiste, Université de Kinshasa/RDC ;
•  MULUMBA KABASUKUTUSUA André Ph. D., Economiste, Université de Kinshasa/RDC ;
•  MWENGEMOMUNGU Crispin David Ph. D., Politologue, Université de Kinshasa/RDC ;
•  ECHKOUNDI Mohammed Ph. D., Economiste du développement, Université Mohammed V de Rabat/Maroc ;
•  DOHOU Pascal Ph. D., Sociologue du développement, Université d'Abomey-Calavi/Bénin
•  TETE WERSEY Paul Ph. D., Documentaliste, Université de Kinshasa/RDC ;
•  ELENGA HYGIN BELLARMIN Ph. D., Socio-anthropologue, Université Marien Ngouabi de Brazzaville/République du Congo.