Congo-Kinshasa

Declaration:

Pursuant to article 3, paragraph 2, of the Protocol, the Democratic Republic of the Congo undertakes to implement the principle of prohibiting the recruitment of children into the armed forces, in accordance with Decree-Law No. 066 of 9 June 2000 on the demobilization and rehabilitation of vulnerable groups on active service in the armed forces, and to take all feasible measures to ensure that persons who have not yet attained the age of 18 years are not recruited in any way into the Congolese armed forces or into any other public or private armed group throughout the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

15 April 2014

Interpretative Declaration:

The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo reserves the right to interpret any and all articles of the Convention in the context of and with due regard to the sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its territorial integrity as it applies to land, space and sea. Details of these interpretations will be placed on record in the instruments of ratification of the Convention. The present signature is without prejudice to the position taken by the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo or to be taken by it on the Convention in the future.
Declaration under article 287:

The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declares, under paragraph 1 of article 287 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, done at Montego Bay on 10 December 1982, that it chooses the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, established in accordance with Annex VI of the Convention, as the means for the settlement of disputes concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention.
Declaration under article 298:

The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo further declares, under paragraph 1(a) of article 298 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, done at Montego Bay on 10 December 1982, that it does not accept any of the procedures provided for in article 287, paragraph 1(c), with respect to disputes concerning the interpretation of articles 15, 74 and 83 relating to sea boundary delimitations, or those involving historic bays or titles.

The Republic of Zaire does not consider itself bound by the provisions of article 13, paragraph 1, of the Convention, under which any dispute between two or more Contracting Parties concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention which is not settled by negotiation shall, at the request of one of them, be submitted to arbitration or referred to the International Court of Justice. In the light of its policy based on respect for the sovereignty of States, the Republic of Zaire is opposed to any form of compulsory arbitration and hopes that such disputes may be submitted to arbitration or referred to the International Court of Justice not at the request of one of the parties but with the consent of all the interested parties.

With reference to the pertinent provisions of the Convention Zaire shall not treat mopeds as motor cycles.