Newsletter – n°28 – November 2014

News from partners

VNG International assisted local security committees on the formulation of security plans in the eastern Congolese territories of Kabara, Walungu, Idjwi and Shabunda. These local committees are made up of various actors from the local territoire level, such as judges, civil servants and members of police forces or civil society organisations and over recent years have faced a multitude of security incidents and deeper crises.

Given the number and frequency of threats in the area, these committees have primarily focused on conducting quick responses but have paid less attention to establishing a strategic approach or elaborating preventative measures. Against this backdrop, VNG International focused on supporting these local actors to jointly identify and formulate threats and take first steps towards a strategy of prevention.

Moreover, the capacity building of local security committees was a key tool employed by VNG international during this project, as was the identification of the threats that are affecting the four territories. As such, it was found that the committees face common threats, mainly the presence of armed groups that challenge the legitimacy of local authorities and the weaknesses of these local governments – their lack of structure and their corruption and impunity. Besides providing the support needed to tackle these threats, the project further offers the local committees financial stimulus through Performance Based Financing.

This cooperation project was carried out from 28 September till 17 October 2014 and was done in the context of the programme ‘Restoring the contract’, financed by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by VNG International in collaboration with Cordaid and Center for International Legal Cooperation (CILC). The programme is further aimed at increasing the performance of the public administration, police and justice system at local level and to renovate the interaction between the multitude of state institutions and non-state actors.