Félix Tshilombo Reappoints Lieutenant General Fall Sikabwe as Head of AFRIDEX and Strengthens the Skills of the Ministry of Defense

Responsible for the production of all explosives, civilian and military ammunition, weapons, and other similar or related products, including their accessories, Félix Tshilombo intends to give new impetus to Africaine d'Explosifs (AFRIDEX). It is one of the five bodies comprising the Ministry of National Defense, namely: the General Secretariat, the General Staff, the FARDC General Inspectorate, CISM, and AFRIDEX.

Following a series of ordinances read out on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, concerning national radio and television, Félix Tshisekedi signed the ordinance amending and supplementing Ordinance No. 16/051 of May 3, 2016, establishing the organization and operation of this public service by further strengthening the responsibilities of the Ministry of National Defense in this service.

Articles 8, 10, and 11 of Ordinance No. 16/051 of May 3, 2016, establishing the organization and operation of a public service called AFRIDEX, are amended and supplemented as follows:

• Article 8: AFRIDEX is headed by a Director General, assisted by a Deputy Director General responsible for technical and operational matters and a Deputy Director General responsible for administrative and financial matters. The Director General and the Deputy Directors General are appointed and, if necessary, removed from office by the President of the Republic upon a proposal from the government, deliberated in the Council of Ministers, after hearing the High Council of Defense; they may be suspended by order of the Minister responsible for National Defense with the express authorization of the President of the Republic;

• Article 10: The Director General directs, coordinates, and monitors all AFRIDEX activities. In this capacity, he or she exercises the following responsibilities: management of human and financial resources, as well as current and future movable and immovable property made available to AFRIDEX; proposal to the Minister responsible for National Defense of measures aimed at reforming and modernizing AFRIDEX; development of a multi-year strategic plan; proposal at the beginning of each year to the Minister responsible for National Defense of measures aimed at mobilizing revenue; The submission at the end of each year to the Minister responsible for National Defense of the evaluation report on the measures referred to in points 2 and 4 above; the Director General may delegate one or more of his responsibilities to the Deputy Directors General;

• Article 11: The Deputy Directors General assist the Director General in the performance of his duties; provide their opinions on matters submitted to them and replace them in the event of absence or impediment, in accordance with the order of precedence determined by the order of their appointments; they carry out all the tasks assigned to them by the Director General.

In another presidential order, also read on the RTNC, Félix Tshilombo decided to reappoint Lieutenant General Sikabwe Asinda Fall as head of AFRIDEX. In this position, he will be assisted by Marcel Mbuyu Kyungu and Serge Bokana Ekakumba, Deputy Directors General responsible for technical and operational matters, as well as administrative and financial matters, respectively.

The history of explosives production and management in the DRC dates back structurally to 1948 with the Poudrières Réunies de Belgique (United Powder Mills of Belgium), which, following several restructurings, became Africaine d'Explosifs (AFRIDEX). Under Law No. 11/012 of August 11, 2011, on the organization and operation of the FARDC, Afridex is included among the bodies comprising the Ministry of National Defense.

Ordinance 16/051 of May 3, 2016, organizes it as a public service and clearly assigns its responsibilities. Under the conditions stipulated by the laws and regulations of the Republic, AFRIDEX exclusively exercises the following missions and prerogatives throughout the national territory: the production of all explosives, civilian and military munitions, weapons, and other similar or related products, including their accessories, and the performance of all operations and services directly or indirectly related to this activity.

According to the information collected on its website, AFRIDEX may enter into partnership or concession agreements to improve the provision of its services, in return for remuneration collected from users, necessary to finance its activities. The monopoly and exclusivity granted to it put an end to the liberalism that existed in this sensitive sector and make it the sole provider in this area. This is the only entry point because it guarantees the regulation and traceability of explosives.

From production, through marketing, to final use. The same applies to imports and exports.

This is to protect this high-risk and strategic material from being exposed to everyone and to prevent its use for criminal and/or terrorist purposes. With this in mind, any explosive imported, manufactured, transported, stored, handled, or used in the DRC must be authorized by a certificate, attestation, or special authorization issued by AFRIDEX for all useful purposes. AFRIDEX works in partnership with users who comply with current regulations to ensure a continuous supply of explosives to the country.

Producing, manufacturing, possessing, and using explosives without prior authorization constitutes a criminal offense. Any producer or user of explosives has a legal and moral duty of care in compliance with legal and regulatory texts through AFRIDEX, which is the competent authority for issuing any document relating to explosives throughout the national territory. AFRIDEX enforces all relevant regulations to guarantee users their right to import, produce, acquire, handle, transport, store, and use explosives. All of these activities are controlled through the documentation process issued by AFRIDEX to determine their quality, quantity, and flow.

The headquarters of this service is located in Likasi, in the Haut Katanga province. In this position, Lieutenant General Fall Sikabwe, formerly Chief of Staff of the FARDC Land Forces and Operations Coordinator in North Kivu Province, succeeded Grand Admiral Baudouin Liwanga.