The protection of personal data in the DRC

Coco Kayudi Misamu (Lexing – DRC) and Jean-François Henrotte (Lexing – Belgium) have joined forces once again to produce the second edition of their authoritative French-language guide to data protection in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Although the protection of personal data has been the subject of numerous developments in doctrine worldwide, few works are devoted specifically to the Congolese legal framework. This pioneering guide is now back in a significantly expanded and updated edition.

Since the first edition was published, the DRC has made significant progress by establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework, as evidenced by the introduction of the Digital Code and the ratification of the Malabo Convention. These major developments are reshaping the national legal landscape and necessitate a fresh analysis.

This new edition provides an in-depth, critical and systematic examination of the Congolese data protection regime within its international and African context, considering contemporary standards and the challenges relating to digital sovereignty, international data transfers and regional harmonisation.

Combining academic rigour with forward-looking analysis, this book is intended for legal practitioners, magistrates, lawyers, public officials, businesses, academics and students who wish to understand the current data protection challenges in the DRC and, more broadly, across Africa.

Rather than simply commenting on the legislation, the authors put forward concrete proposals for improving the existing framework and advocate ambitious regional harmonisation — an essential prerequisite for effectively protecting fundamental rights and achieving competitive digital integration on the international stage.