DRC: advocacy by the governors of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri

Congolese President Félix Tshisékédi during a trip to Goma, in North Kivu province, April 14, 2019. ALEXIS HUGUET / AFP

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In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the leaders of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri met, in Kinshasa, on Thursday, August 27, with Congolese Prime Minister Sylvestre Ilunga. They pointed to problems on the program of disarmament and reintegration of armed groups that are rife in their provinces, on the state of road infrastructure or on the irregular payment of 40% of national income due to the provinces.

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Do we need a Marshall plan for eastern Congo? In any case, this is the idea that three governors of the eastern provinces of the DRC, Jean Bamanisa from Ituri, Carly Nzanzu from North Kivu and Théo Ngwabije from South Kivu came to defend, in Kinshasa, these last days.

This Marshall Plan would take the form of a budget line of around $ 100 million in the DRC's next budget and could receive support from donors. Its objective would be to promote the disarmament and community reintegration of armed groups that abound in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri by implementing projects for ex-combatants, but also within victim communities.

The three governors of these three provinces in the east of the country have also come to demand a more regular payment of the retrocession of 40% of national income, as provided by law. The delays are piling up for these provinces, as for others across the country. This is also the case for the salary payments of provincial deputies, as the governor of North Kivu, Carly Nzanzu Kasivita explains.

The Prime Minister was receptive to our demands. He involved the Minister of Finance in our discussions and clear guidelines were given to him so that the retrocessions owed to the provinces could be paid on a regular basis. […] We try to do with the 20% of the means mobilized locally but it is not always easy in a province where the security environment but also the effects of covid-19 do not allow us to be up to the task. all the expected mobilization, all the expected planning.

Carly Nzanzu Kasivita, Governor of North Kivu.

Sonia rolley

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