Democratic Republic of Congo
Last Updated on Tuesday, 04 September 2012 14:40 Written by Communications Intern Monday, 14 June 2010 14:14
Caption: Congolese delegation led by Dr Egide Michel Ngokoso Apa, and Dr Jean-Pierre Lola Kisanga with His Excellency Dr Vincent Biruta, former President of the Senate of Rwanda, AWEPA’s Dr Luc Dhoore and Members of the Rwandan Senate.
Donor
Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Political Coordinator
Hon. François-Xavier de Donnea (Belgium)
Background
The partnership between AWEPA and the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was founded in 1999. Since then AWEPA has worked together with the National Assembly and the Senate, and has developed activities with provincial assemblies.
AWEPA role has been to work jointly with the parliament of the DRC in supporting its main functions; moreover, AWEPA has supported both skills development and parliamentary diplomacy. The activities involved in developing skills consist of strengthening the legislative assemblies via seminars/workshops, whereas parliamentary diplomacy consists of conflict prevention and resolution.
2011 represented the last year of the first legislature since the DRC’s transition period. Presidential and parliamentary elections were organised in the DRC on 28 November 2011, and it was in this context that the AWEPA programme was implemented.
Objectives
- Enable members of the legislative assemblies to gain thorough knowledge and skills of their institutions, in particular by engaging in knowledge exchange and feedback with both former Congolese parliamentarians and active parliamentarians in Africa and Europe
- Facilitate parliamentary diplomacy between elected officials of the DRC and other Parliaments
In 2011, AWEPA completed its activity cycle in supporting parliamentarians in governance and legislation skills development. AWEPA has also continued to facilitate meetings between Congolese and Rwandan parliamentarians within the scope of parliamentary diplomacy. AWEPA observed the presidential and parliamentary elections in cooperation with Belgian legislative assemblies.
Impacts
Following an AWEPA organised visit of a delegation of DRC Members of Parliament to Rwanda, the DRC parliamentarians invited their government to assist in the installation of offices of the Secretary General of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region Member States Parliamentary Forum (ICGLR-PF) in Kinshasa. The Congolese government took appropriate measures at the end of 2011.
Example Activity
Visit of a Delegation of the DRC Parliament to Rwanda, 26-28 April, Kigali, Rwanda
Within the scope of parliamentary diplomacy, AWEPA organised the second formal bilateral meeting of Rwandan and Congolese members of parliament. The Congolese delegation was received at the Parliament of Rwanda in April 2011. This was the second encounter of this type between the two Parliaments. During this meeting, the representatives of the DRC Parliament met with Rwandan authorities from executive and legislative fields. On the occasion of the official meeting, important issues were raised such as the sub-regional integration process, the appointment of the Secretary General of the ICGLR-FP and safety in the Eastern provinces of the DRC.
Donors
Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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