After being postponed earlier this year, the Second National Symposium on the Localization of Humanitarian Aid finally took place in Kinshasa from 23 to 25 June 2025. Under the theme “From Bukavu to Kinshasa: new milestones for the localization framework in the DRC”, the event was designed as a logical and ambitious follow-up to the first symposium held in Bukavu in October 2023. It offered a moment to take stock of progress, reflect on persistent challenges, and above all, lay the foundations for a national 2025–2027 roadmap towards a humanitarian system truly driven by local actors.

But the delay did not slow down the process – instead, it gave more time to prepare and to involve a wider range of voices and helped create a space that many participants described as both historic and decisive for the future of humanitarian leadership in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“It is about ensuring that local actors are at the centre of humanitarian leadership. They are best placed to respond effectively because they are rooted in their communities, even in the most difficult-to-reach areas.”

Bruno Lemarquis, Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Humanitarian Coordinator in the DRC

The symposium brought together an exceptional mix of local civil society leaders, national NGOs, grassroots networks, government representatives, and high-level international partners. Over three days, the capital became a meeting point for open dialogue and shared vision. The message was clear: it is time for Congolese actors not only to be at the table, but to lead it.

Exchanges, commitments, and next steps

In workshops and open discussions, participants explored how to secure long-term funding for local leadership, how to make partnerships more transparent, how to strengthen accountability without reproducing donor-driven models, and how to adapt international humanitarian reforms to the realities in the DRC. The conversations were honest and constructive, and many practical ideas emerged.

One highlight was a hybrid session with the Grand Bargain General Secretariat in Geneva. This created a rare space for direct exchange between Congolese actors and a global platform working on reforming the humanitarian system. The symposium also featured a video conference intervention from Tom Fletcher, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, who emphasised that sustainable humanitarian responses must be designed and led by those closest to the realities on the ground.

There was also a special panel with seven donor representatives, where, in a candid and sometimes challenging dialogue, participants explored the barriers preventing Congolese organizations from securing direct access to humanitarian funding. Complex due diligence procedures, heavy administrative burdens, and entrenched risk perceptions were openly examined, with donors and local actors searching together for practical solutions. This panel was widely hailed as a breakthrough in building trust and transparency, where both sides agreed on the need to simplify processes and to build more trust between donors and local organisations.

The symposium concluded with the adoption of the Final Declaration, a clear and ambitious roadmap for advancing localization in the DRC. Commitments included reinforcing national coordination structures, investing in local capacity building, ensuring transparent partnerships, and securing a fairer share of humanitarian funding for Congolese organisations. More than a list of aspirations, it is intended as a practical guide for action, one that all present pledged to uphold.

Looking back, the postponement was not a setback but an opportunity. It helped bring more people to the table and created a richer agenda. When participants left Kinshasa, it was with a renewed sense of purpose and a common understanding: to create a humanitarian system in the DRC that is designed, led, and owned by Congolese hands.