07 March 2023

Augustin Kibassa, minister in charge of Telecommunications in the DRC, has submitted to the Council of Ministers a draft decree on the creation, composition and functioning of the Regulatory Authority for Posts, Telecommunications and Information and Communication Technologies (ARPTIC). It will replace the current Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Congo (ARPTC).

The decree submitted for the approval of the Council of Ministers specifies the missions of the new regulator, its supervision, its legal form, and the resources necessary for the pursuit of its mission.

The ICT sector is continually advancing, necessitating more appropriate regulation that goes beyond post and telecommunications. The creation of the new regulatory authority can also be seen as part of the actions undertaken since 2020 by the Congolese government to accelerate the country’s digital transformation.

Better regulation of the postal, telecommunications and ICT sector should make it possible to guarantee healthy and fair competition between the various players in the sector and to accelerate its growth. It should also make it possible to improve consumer protection and guarantee them a better quality of service.