The Democratic Republic of Congo has imposed a ban on the navigation of wooden canoes on all Congolese waterways, effective November 15, 2026. This decision was announced by Vice Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo in a letter addressed to his colleagues in charge of Interior and National Defense. The ban aims to improve safety on waterways and reduce the number of accidents and fatalities.
According to the Vice Prime Minister, the ban is not a new measure, but rather a reinforcement of previous restrictions imposed through letters dated October 4, 2024, September 25, 2025, and October 22, 2025. These restrictions include the suspension of lacustrine or fluvial commissioners, mandatory life jackets, technical inspection of boats, prohibition of night navigation, mandatory insurance, audit of shipyards, control of commander training, and prohibition of manufacturing wooden canoes.
The ban on wooden canoes is part of a broader effort to modernize and regulate the country's water transport sector. The government has also ordered the replacement of wooden canoes with metal barges and limited the navigation radius to 750 km. Despite previous measures, some users, particularly wooden canoe operators, have continued to flout the regulations, leading to recent incidents and accidents with significant human and material losses.
The Congolese National Police and Naval Force have been tasked with enforcing the ban and intercepting any wooden canoes still in operation after November 15. They will have the authority to seize any non-compliant vessels and take action against their operators. The government has expressed its concern over the persistence of accidents and fatalities on waterways and its determination to take action to prevent them.
The decision to ban wooden canoes has been taken to address the growing concern over safety on Congolese waterways. The country has experienced a number of accidents and incidents involving wooden canoes in recent years, resulting in significant human and material losses. The government hopes that the ban will help reduce the number of accidents and improve overall safety.
The ban on wooden canoes is also part of a broader effort to develop and regulate the country's water transport sector. The government has been working to improve safety and efficiency on waterways, and to promote the use of modern and safer vessels. The replacement of wooden canoes with metal barges is expected to improve safety and reduce the risk of accidents.
The government has urged all stakeholders, including wooden canoe operators, to comply with the new regulations and to support the transition to safer and more modern vessels. The ban on wooden canoes is expected to come into effect on November 15, 2026, and the government has warned that it will take action against any operators who fail to comply.
Key points
- The Democratic Republic of Congo has banned wooden canoes on all waterways effective November 15, 2026, as part of efforts to improve safety and reduce accidents.
- The ban is a reinforcement of previous restrictions imposed to regulate the water transport sector and improve safety.
- The government has tasked the police and naval force with enforcing the ban and intercepting non-compliant vessels.
