Reaction to the European Union 100million Euros Relief Aid annually in North Kivu: Where does it go and what does it do?
Reactions to the European Ambassador to DRCongo during his visit in Goma North Kivu, the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday September 3rd, 2024: Where do you put that money and who do you help exactly
Hungry Children in Lushagala IDP Camp in Goma waiting for Porridge which was planned by our team during a field work in June 2024. These obviously are not among those who benefit from the EU Relief Aid
The European Union like other Missions and Donors who fund humanitarian interventions always take distance from accountability, transparency and people engagement. Their visits they only engage with the Government Authorities, and Humanitarian Relief Agencies, visit some camps and talk to already hired people and coached on what to say and then go back. The need to engage the Civil Society on how best to manage relief aid does not attract neither the donors nor relief aid agencies who use the funds. The current humanitarian crisis in North Kivu is a shame and does not reflect the investment of 100 million each year, what does the money do?
According to local media in Goma, the European Union Ambassador in the Democratic Republic of Congo visited Goma, the capital city on the North Kivu Province, the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday September 3rd, 2024. During a Press Conference after the meeting with the Governor, the Ambassador was quoted as saying:
“The key to solutions to the security problems in North Kivu is the hands of the DRC Government, the European Union is much available and willing to help the government in the plan they will come up with for the lasting solution. The European Union spends 100 million Euros each year on humanitarian response in North Kivu”
While we seem to agree with the Ambassador about the solution from the DRC Government which we already know and which we hoped when we had elections in December 2023, we observed that the European Union in DRC does not funds projects which aim to hold leaders accountable through popular activities. Engagement with government needs funds which Civil Society Organizations do not have up to now, and it is rare to find proposals from the European Union towards accountability. The people in DRC need to put pressure on Government to find quickly lasting solutions to the current wars in North Kivu, but no one is willing to fund such initiatives especially from the Civil Society.
The European Union together with the United Nations, and the African Union have strongly advocated for a political deal between DRC and Rwanda through negotiations a position which DRC Government has taken since 2022 up to now and yet which is the ne view of the majority of Congolese. The majority of Congolese people believe in military option which the EU is opposed to, claiming that the European Union is willing to support DRC may be misleading because right now there is no consensus and everyone camps on his/her position, it is almost three years DRC and Rwanda are negotiating and nothing is coming out, it is now three years the EU is calling political deal but it has never clearly indicated what should be negotiated exactly between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Spending 100 million Euros to humanitarian activities each year in North Kivu
Both Internally Displaced Persons and the Population of North Kivu actually only do hear about this money on Radios and on various media being announced in Brussels, when the money comes to DRC no one is informed anymore, and when the money comes to Goma, no one knows even who manages the money, what does it do, who decides on what it should do, who is involved, and how is the money spent. The funds are managed in total discretion which is against the European Union values of transparency and accountability highly promoted by the EU.
While humanitarian aid is urgently needed in North Kivu, it is also important that the management of the available relief aid is like a mafia which has made it loose its favor, and it is also clear to relief aid is not the solution to the problem and there is a great need to shift towards development.
Kulihoshi Musikami Pecos
Coordinator
