President Joseph Kabila will deliver his first State of the Nation address on December 6th, one year to the day after being sworn-in as a democratically elected president.

The address will be delivered to a joint session of the Congress which includes all members of the national Parliament and the Senate. The rules governing the Congress were approved by lawmakers during their first joint session on November 1, 2007.

According to article 77 of the Constitution, the president must give once a year a State of the Nation address to a joint session of the Congress.

It is expected that President Kabila will speak about the efforts by the government to flush out all rebel groups and militias still operating in the eastern provinces, as well as his plans for economic growth and development for the entire country.