UNDP DRK programstöd 2021-2024 UNDP DRC programme support 2021-2024 - UNDP programme support UNDP has turned to Sida to seek support for the implementation of their country program (2020-2024). The support is program based with a focus on strengthened rule of law, decentralisation reform, stabilisation of post-conflict provinces linked to the phasing out of Monusco and support to the government for aid coordination. 

Theses efforts correspond to Sweden's priorities in the current strategy for development cooperation with DR Congo (2021-2025) and specifically contributes to the following strategic goals: 

Human rights, democracy, the rule of law and gender equality
(1)	Strengthened respect for human rights, democracy and rule of law, including reduced corruption 
(2)	Greater gender equality including reduced gender-based violence

Peaceful and inclusive societies
(1)	Inclusive processes to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts by peaceful means, including strengthened resilience to crises

The contribution is expected to contribute to strengthening the rule of law, reduce impunity, increase transparency and reduce corruption. 

Within the framework of their country program, UNDP will provide support to DR Congo's ongoing justice and decentralisation reform. This includes work within gender equality that focuses on increasing women's autonomy, influence and participation in political processes, as well as women's and young people's participation in peace building processes. 

In a context where the UN peacekeeping mission Monusco is planning to downsize and phase out of certain provinces UNDP will contribute to a continuation of stabilisation interventions to ensure peace, stability and reconstruction in post-conflict areas. A special focus will be placed on the Kasai provinces and Tanganyika where Monusco first pulls out and where the international community has launched a nexus-based coordination process to increase an international presence in support of the provincial government in hopes of increasing trust between the population and the state. 

Through program support to UNDP, Sweden intends to support the national development plan and its subsequent aid coordination mechanisms to strengthen coordination and harmonization between development actors. The goal is for development actors to find joint solutions to the root causes of underdevelopment and conflict. 

Sweden has previously contributed with support to UNDP in the DR Congo through an initiative carried out jointly with UNCDF - Support for Inclusive Financing in DRC 2017-2021. The results of this contribution will be integrated and built on within the framework of Sweden’s program support to UNDP's country program. UNDP har vänt sig till Sida och ansökt om stöd till implementering av landprogrammet (2020-2024). Stödet är programbaserat med fokus på en stärkt rättsstat, decentraliseringsreform stabilisering, av post-konflikt-provinser efter utfasning av Monusco samt stöd till regeringens koordinering av utvecklingsarbetet. 

Insatsen motsvarar Sveriges prioriteringar i den nuvarande strategin för utvecklingssamarbetet med DR Kongo (2021-2025) och bidrar till följande strategimål:

Mänskliga rättigheter, demokrati, rättsstatens principer och jämställdhet 
(1)Stärkt respekt för mänskliga rättigheter, demokrati och rättsstatens principer, inklusive minskad korruption 
(2)Ökad jämställdhet, inklusive minskat könsrelaterat våld  

Fredliga och inkluderande samhällen 
(1)Inkluderande processer för att förebygga, hantera och lösa konflikter på fredlig väg, inklusive stärkt motståndskraft inför kriser

Insatsen förväntas bidra till att stärka rättsstatens principer, minskad straffrihet, ökad transparens och minskad korruption. UNDP kommer inom ramen för deras landprogram ge stöd åt DR Kongos pågående justitie- samt decentraliseringsreform. Detta innebär ett arbete inom jämställdhet med fokus på att öka kvinnors egenmakt, inflytande och deltagande i politiska processer samt kvinnors och ungas deltagande i fredsbyggande processer.

I en kontext där FNs fredsstyrkor planerar för en neddragning samt utfasning från vissa provinser kommer insatsen med UNDP att bidra till ett fortsatt stabiliseringsarbete för att säkerställa fred, stabilitet och återuppbyggnad i post-konflikt-områden. Ett särskilt fokus kommer att ligga på Kasai-provinserna och Tanganyika där Monusco först drar sig ut och där det internationella samfundet har lanserat en nexusbaserad koordineringsprocess för att öka den internationella närvaron som stöd till provinsregeringen i syfte att öka tilliten mellan befolkningen och staten.

Genom programstöd till UNDP avser Sverige att arbeta med stöd till den nationella utvecklingsplanen för att stärka koordineringen mellan utvecklingsaktörer. Målet är att alla utvecklingsaktörer ska samarbeta för att finna lösningar på grundorsakerna till underutveckling och konflikt. 

Sverige har tidigare bidragit med stöd till UNDP i DR Kongo genom en insats som genomförts tillsammans med UNCDF -  Support for Inclusive Financing in DRC 2017-2021. Resultaten från denna insats kommer att integreras och byggas vidare på inom ramen för programstödet till UNDPs landprogram. The objectives of this intervention are to support the UNDP country programme which has the following priorities (a) governance for sustainable development; (b) economic transformation and sustainable management of natural resources; and (c) support to stabilization and strengthening of the resilience of affected populations.

At the end of the intervention it is expected that UNDP has contributed to:
Accelerating structural transformations for sustainable development Advancing poverty eradication in all its forms and dimensions Strengthening resilience to shocks and crises

The specific objectives of the four projects UNDP is seeking funding for are the following (translated from French):

Decentralisation
The overall objective of this support is twofold. On the one hand, it is to accelerate the process of territorial decentralisation in all its dimensions (political, administrative, and fiscal) with a view to strengthen local governance, boosting grassroots economic development, and improving the living conditions of the population. On the other hand, it is a question of supporting the central government, the provinces and the decentralised territorial entities (ETDs) to build their own capacities for planning, programming, budgeting, and monitoring and evaluation of development based on the SDGs, with a view to accelerating the country's socio-economic development. The programme will also strengthen national, provincial, and local capacities for the management, governance and coordination of public policies and development assistance, as well as provide the provinces and ETDs with critical skills to support the implementation of provincial and local development plans.

Justice Reform
The programme contributes to reforming the rule of law in the DRC through implementation of the defined justice reform and better management and efficiency of the justice system in a way that respects human rights and meets the needs of the population with regard to justice and legal protection. This is  particularly important for vulnerable and at-risk populations, with a view to stabilising and improving social cohesion through four results:
Result 1: Implementation of the National Justice Reform Policy is strengthened and coordinated
Result 2: The accountability of actors in the criminal justice system is improved, allowing institutions to function in accordance with the principles of the rule of law
Result 3: The provision of quality justice services is improved by strengthening the institutions of the criminal justice system in the prosecution of offences, with a focus on crimes under international law and sexual violence committed in times of conflict
Result 4: Demand for justice is improved for populations in intervention areas, promoting peaceful conflict resolution.
Results 1 and 2 will be implemented at the central level and Results 3 and 4 at the level of the target provinces.
 
Stabilisation
The rationale for the UN joint stabilisation support programme is based on four main objectives:
(i)  Sustaining the ISSSS strategy and its implementation through a progressive transfer of the center of gravity of the ISSSS strategy from MONUSCO to the UNCT
(ii) Supporting the roll-out of the ISSSS in different geographies where MONUSCO intervenes or intends to draw down to contribute to the transition efforts and to the nexus principles (Kasai, Kasai Central, Tanganyika in addition to the three Eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri);
(iii) Bridging effectively results achieved in stabilization with longer term interventions
(iv) Strengthening the DRC authorities' capacity to manage, coordinate and lead stabilisation initiatives
Based on the broad goals outlined above, and in concrete terms, the objective of the programme can be formulated as follows: "Populations in conflict and post-conflict areas benefit from stabilization and peace through sustainable government-led initiatives."
 
Fight against corruption
The overall objective the programme is to contribute to strengthening of the rule of law through a significant and sustainable reduction of corruption. Three specific objectives, which contribute in a complementary manner to the achievement of the overall objective, have been defined in order to structure the assistance interventions:
The population is sensitised to the consequences of corruption and trained to move from tolerance to denunciation of acts of corruption.

State institutions and civil society organisations are strengthened in their mission of auditing and controlling the management of public services in order to guarantee good governance.
The normative and institutional frameworks for the fight against corruption are strengthened to make them more effective in the fight against impunity for acts of corruption.