The World Bank Board Tuesday approved an International Development Association (IDA) grant of 100 million US dollar (ca. 620 mio. DKR) to help consolidate peace and promote economic stability and sustainable development in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Emergency Demobilization and Reintegration Project will support the efforts of the Government to demobilize an estimated 150.000 ex-combatants and help them return to civilian life.
The Governments program will cover the entire country and reintegration activities will be organized according to the settlement patterns of ex-combatants, and implementation capacities at the provincial and community levels.
The program will also promote the reallocation of government expenditure from the military to social and economic sectors and is expected to have a significant impact on reducing poverty in the country by contributing to the return of peace and security in rural areas, which will encourage the general population, including the internally displaced persons, to resume productive lives in the rural economy.
The program was developed within the framework of the Multi-country Demobilization and Reintegration Program (MDRP) for the greater Great Lakes region, a regional partnership initiative comprising seven governments and over forty donor and multilateral agencies.
In a recent meeting of MDRP partners, donors endorsed a 100 million US dollar MDRP Trust Fund grant to complement the IDA grant financing approved Tuesday.
– Assistance will be provided to help ex-combatants reintegrate themselves into their communities and establish sustainable livelihoods, said John Elder, the World Banks Task Team Leader for the project.
– The Emergency Demobilization and Reintegration Project fits within the Banks broader framework of assistance to DR Congo and there will be many synergies with other public and private programs supporting development at the community level, added he.
Persistent insecurity in the Great Lakes Region has led to a shift in resources away from social and economic development towards the security sector.
A successful national disarmament, demobilization and reintegration program will help reverse the situation. A reduction in defense spending will also help reduce the budget deficit and constitute an important factor for macroeconomic and fiscal stability in the long term.
For more information on the World Banks work in Africa visit: www.worldbank.org/afr/
For more information on the World Banks work in the Democratic Republic of Congo visit: www.worldbank.org/afr/cd
For more information on MDRP activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, visit: www.mdrp.org/countries/mdrp_drc.htm
