09 November 2022
Technical seminar on acceding to the MEDICRIME Convention in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Action plan
09 November 2022
Work package no.2: Promotion of the adoption of comprehensive and harmonized legislation and regulations which criminalize the production, storage, transportation and sale substandard and falsified medical products.
As part of the MEDISAFE project, a technical seminar on acceding to the MEDRICRIME Convention was held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Kinshasa, from 7 to 9 November 2022. The seminar brought together national stakeholders for discussion and working sessions on the value of acceding to the Convention and the related processes.
Following the experience-sharing meeting held in Nairobi in April 2022, representatives from DRC expressed a desire to raise the issue of the country acceding to the MEDICRIME Convention with their government. As a result, a dedicated three-day technical seminar was organized to respond to this request and support the government.
All national stakeholders involved in the process of acceding to the Convention were brought together: representatives from the judicial authorities, law enforcement and customs officials, government, members of parliament, legal practitioners from the Ministry of Justice and other representatives of key relevant ministries. Oscar Alarcón-Jiménez, representative of the Council of Europe and Executive Secretary of the Committee of the Parties of the Medicrime Convention, also facilitated the seminar.
The main objective of the seminar was to raise awareness among participants, including the representatives from judicial authorities, the government and members of parliament, of the benefits of the country acceding to the MEDICRIME Convention. Presentations and discussions during the seminar encouraged participants to initiate a reflection in favor of an application to accede to the MEDICRIME Convention. The second step was to support local legal representatives to develop the documentation needed to accede to the Convention.
During the visit, a meeting was organized with the Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Mrs. Rose MUTOMBO KIESE, to discuss the importance of completing the process of acceding to the MEDICRIME Convention.