DR Congo — An unprecedented high-level joint visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo, including United Nations Population Fund Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin and United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, met the country’s President, Prime Minister and other high-level officials on 21 May.
Dr. Osotimehin was accompanying the UN Secretary-General as well as Herve Ladsous, Head of UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Mary Robertson, Special Envoy of the SG for the Great Lakes Region, and Jordan Ryan, Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR).
Meeting with heads of state on security
The joint visit with the President of the World Bank, Dr. Jim Yong Kim, and his Vice President for Africa, Makhtar Diop, to support the Peace and Security Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region, was unprecedented. The high-level delegation met with DRC authorities, including President Joseph Kabila, the Prime Minister, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the National Assembly.
Dr. Osotimehin acknowledged the UNFPA Country Office staff for their support to the DRC Government and in positioning the UNFPA mandate within the country, despite the many challenges related to the size of the country, resource mobilization and the current levels of insecurity.
While this was not a formal country visit, he advised the Country Office to focus more on working with the central Government in order to influence policy changes. “We have to be more strategic in our approach,” he said. He expressed the need to work even more closely with donor countries present in the DRC as part of resource mobilization efforts.
Implement CSW’s recommendations, ED urges Gender Minister
Dr. Osotimehin met the DRC Minister of Gender, Family and Child Affairs, with whom he discussed issues relating to gender, reproductive health and youth in the post-2015 agenda. While he welcomed the efforts undertaken by the Government to combat gender-based violence (GBV), he stressed the need for the country to implement the recommendations of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), and the mobilization of women's organizations for the promotion of family planning.
Dr. Osotimehin shared UNFPA’s priorities and agreed on how the organization could support the Government and the Ministry of Gender. In turn, the Minister advised on how the Government would support the international agenda and the ICPD at 2014 review and agenda, as well as the post-2015 agenda.
World Bank accounces $1 billion funding for DRC
In Kinshasa the World Bank President, Dr. Jim Yong Kim, announced a $1 billion development fund for DRC and the Great Lakes Region to support social safety nets, cross-border trade, energy and essential infrastructure.
In Goma, Ban Ki-moon, Dr. Jim Yong Kim and members of the delegation attended to the reinsertion of soldiers at the Demobilization, Disarmament and Reintegration Camp, and visited ‘Heal Africa’, a hospital where victims of sexual violence receive treatment. Heal Africa is also in partnership with UNFPA to treat fistula patients. Ban Ki-moon expressed anger after meeting numerous victims of sexual violence. “I am angry, after visiting survivors of sexual violence and women with fistula. I salute them for their courage,” he said.
In reference to the International Day to End Fistula being celebrated on 23 May, the UN Secretary-General reiterated the support of the international community and the UN to the Global Campaign to End Fistula. “Today is the first International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, and the international community with the United Nations support this Global Compaign.”
~ Assane Ba, UNFPA DRC
