Institut National des Archives du Congo INACO (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

History and Founding

The national archives of the Democratic Republic of the Congo were formally established by Ordinance No. 89/027 of 26 January 1989 as the Archives Nationales du Zaïre (ARNAZA), under the Law No. 78-013 of 11 July 1978 on the general regime of archives. Following the country's renaming, the institution became the Archives Nationales de la République Démocratique du Congo (ARNACO). A further restructuring decree (No. 15/022 of 9 December 2015) created the current Institut National des Archives du Congo (INACO) as a public institution with technical and scientific character under the oversight of the Ministry of Culture and Arts. The INACO is located in the Commune of Gombe, Kinshasa, and holds a collection of approximately 3,000 volumes.

Collections and Holdings

The archives hold written and audiovisual documents of historical, scientific, and cultural interest covering Congolese history, including administrative, diplomatic, and cultural records. Holdings are organized chronologically according to archival principles of respect for fonds. The institution supervises both public and private archives across the country.

Access and Usage

Researchers wishing to access the archives must obtain an authorization (autorisation de recherche) through the Ministry of Culture and Arts. The archives operate weekdays. In 2019, the United States Department of State financed a renovation project for the INACO. Contact can be made by phone at +243 810 012 199.