Ituri Governor Jean Bamanisa Saïdi presented to the World Bank the priorities of his province to be integrated into the 2020 – 2024 country strategy to access financing. Among the integrating projects he presented on Monday 30 September 2019, the North-East Corridor project, whose implementation will open up this part of the Democratic Republic of Congo and position it for regional integration, is in a good position.

« These are the roads: RN 5 Kalemie-Uvira-Bukavu-Goma; RN 27 Komanda-Bunia-Mahagi-Goli/Uganda and RN4 Kasindi-Mpondue/Uganda. In addition, agricultural feeder roads are not considered as a first priority. We had the opportunity to explain our different priorities for support. The important thing to remember is that the financing mechanism will be put in place, » Jean Bamanisa told Zoom Eco.

To achieve this, discussions and studies are continuing with Ituri in an overall dynamic with the eastern provinces concerned by this programme, and the involvement of provincial governments is assured.

He said: « The World Bank has agreed to double its financing capacity. It also requires an absorption capacity. By going through the provinces, we will have projects that are close to the people and managed by the provincial governments.  »

The rehabilitation and construction of health infrastructures; the supply of drinking water; social reintegration; free basic education and electrification of the eastern provinces, including Ituri, are also among the projects presented by Jean Bamanisa. The objective is to effectively and sustainably protect the environment, support agriculture and create value chains in a dynamic of development.

#RDC #Priorités8Prov
Le gouv' @JeanBamanisa salue l'engagement de la @Banquemondiale à accompagner la @provinceituri à réaliser des projets intégrateurs du #CorridorNordEst @Presidence_RDC via @Zoom_eco pic.twitter.com/HeFd5Q60p5

— Zoom Eco (@Zoom_eco) October 1, 2019

« We welcomed the commitment of the Head of State who defended these needs, his policy and objectives, which were agreed and approved by the World Bank. The Head of State’s intention has been firm with regard to Governance, stability, economic diversification, human capital, the fight against poverty and corruption, there is a programme that the Head of State has declined at the WB. This received the approval and commitment to support, » he concluded.

Jean Bamanisa Saïdi is one of four provincial governors who accompanied the President of the Republic to the United States of America for a series of working sessions with the World Bank in order to obtain funding for the implementation of growth-enhancing integration projects in eight provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo that have experienced atrocities.

Eric TSHIKUMA, Special Envoy