International relations
2026 | Namur–Masina Cooperation (Kinshasa): A Mission Marking the End of the 2022–2026 Programme
A delegation from the City of Namur visited Masina (Kinshasa) from 27 September to 1 October 2026, as the 2022–2026 phase of the Municipal International Cooperation (CIC) partnership draws to a close. The CIC programme is an instrument of Belgian Development Cooperation, designed and implemented by the Union of Walloon Cities and Municipalities (UVCW).
The delegation comprised Ms Charlotte Braibant, Northern Coordinator of the Namur–Masina partnership, and Mr Philippe Gilot, CIC Expert for the City of Namur. During the mission, they worked alongside Mr Evariste Kasongo, Southern Coordinator of the partnership, met with Mr Joseph Shiku Katumba, Mayor of Masina, and took part in a meeting with all the municipality’s neighbourhood chiefs. They also conducted several field visits to review the projects completed over the past year and assess how they are being used by municipal services.
Rehabilitated Infrastructure
The delegation visited three neighbourhood offices where work had been carried out in 2026: Télévision, where the administrative building was renovated; Imbali, which also underwent renovation; and Lokari, where a sanitation block was constructed. They also visited the Congo neighbourhood office, which was rebuilt in 2025.
These visits provided an opportunity to assess the quality of the completed works, observe how local teams have taken ownership of the facilities, and discuss their day-to-day use.
Twenty Years of Cooperation Between Namur and Masina
The mission took place as the Namur–Masina programme was nearing the end of its 2022–2026 phase. Discussions with the Mayor of Masina, the heads of the municipality’s 21 neighbourhood offices and several long-standing participants in the partnership provided an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of successive programme phases and the progress made over twenty years of cooperation.
A Meeting with the NGO PASCO
The delegation also devoted half a day to the activities of the NGO PASCO (Parlons Sida aux Communautaires), as part of a health project carried out jointly by the City of Namur and PASCO for the 2026–2027 period, with the support of Wallonia-Brussels International (WBI).
In Masina, the delegation visited the Bwanya 2/PASCO community centre and the Industrial Technical Institute (I.T.I.), where they attended an awareness-raising session and an educational discussion on mpox with students. The delegation then visited PASCO’s national headquarters in Kasa-Vubu, where they met with the NGO’s teams.
