All the combined support that Belgium has devoted to the DRC’s development programs in 2018 is estimated at around 100 million euros. The announcement was made by the. Chargé d’Affaires Interim Affairs of the Belgian Embassy, Philippe Bronchain on the occasion of the commemoration of the National Day of the Kingdom of Belgium.
Indeed, this support concerned the interventions of Belgium in 11 of the DRC’s 26 provinces, in favor of rural populations to support family farming and develop water and electricity distribution networks.
Vocational education with a focus on employment opportunities, access to health care (including the fight against the Ebola epidemic), the fight against sexual violence and the eradication of sleeping sickness are also part of Belgian intervention axes in the DRC.
According to Philippe Bronchain, the activities of the Belgian-Congolese cooperation have remained intense during the last twelve years.
« The rumor that Belgian-Congolese development cooperation would have been interrupted last year has been overtaken by the facts: the DRC has remained and will remain the first beneficiary of Belgian official development assistance and Belgium has remained and will remain alongside the Congolese partner, « he said.
In addition, these supports also take into account partnerships through Belgian NGOs and universities, UN and multilateral institutions, or training courses attended every year by several Congolese enarques in the Belgian administration.
In order to remain on the side of the poorest, such as the millions of displaced people throughout the DRC, Belgium, through its chargé d’affaires, has increased its humanitarian aid by 50% to 25 million euros.
Emilie MBOYO