The Ministry of the Interior, Security, Decentralization, and Customary Affairs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (French: Ministère de l'Intérieur, Sécurité, Décentralisation et Affaires Coutumières de la république démocratique du Congo) is a central government body charged with overseeing territorial governance, national security, and customary governance. It manages relations between the central government and provincial governors, regulates and registers political parties, and conducts population identification and census operations. The ministry also directs migration and refugee affairs, supervises the National Police and security services, and administers matters of public order, domestic security, and counterterrorism policies.
In addition, it collaborates with the Independent National Electoral Commission in organizing elections, coordinates disaster management with other ministries, provides protection for internally displaced persons, and is tasked with border surveillance, control of foreign nationals, the application of firearms legislation, and matters related to private security services.
The Ministry is the primary authority for maintaining internal security and public order throughout the national territory. It coordinates with law enforcement agencies, including the national police and civil security services, to ensure the safety of persons and property. It is also responsible for managing national responses to public emergencies, civil unrest, and natural disasters.
The Ministry supervise and coordinate decentralized territorial entities by ensuring that provincial governments, territorial administrations, and local councils function properly in accordance with the constitutional framework of decentralization. It oversees the appointment and accountability of local administrative officials and facilitates intergovernmental relations between central and subnational levels.
As outlined in the 2006 Constitution, the Ministry works to empower provinces and local governments by supporting capacity-building, fiscal transfers, and the legal frameworks necessary for autonomous governance. This includes promoting participatory democracy and improved service delivery at the local level. It also regulates customary leadership in accordance with national law by ensuring the legal recognition of customary chiefs, monitoring their integration into the administrative framework, resolving conflicts related to chiefdoms, and aiming to harmonize modern state structures with indigenous governance practices. Tasked with civil status registration and national ID management, the Ministry handles population records and the issuance of official identity documents. It also aids in compiling demographic data crucial for planning and electoral processes.
The Ministry collaborates with various ministries and agencies to support national security strategies, including counterterrorism, border control, and maritime safety. A notable example of this collaboration is its involvement in the joint decree on maritime security levels, following the ISPS Code.