While the Democratic Republic of Congo is undergoing a period of crisis, Belgium reaffirms its commitment to Kinshasa. On Friday, March 14, it announced that it had received €20 million in funding from the European Union to support the 31st Rapid Intervention Brigade, based in Kindu, Maniema province.
According to a briefing note seen by ACTUALITÉ.CD, these funds will be used to acquire equipment for units trained by the Belgian army as part of the military cooperation program, as well as to rehabilitate infrastructure.
“In addition, €20 million in European Union funding has been secured to equip these units and restore their infrastructure.” In addition, academic cooperation is being strengthened with the presence of Belgian military advisors at the Kananga Military Academy, highlighting the quality of education provided in the DRC. Furthermore, medical cooperation is taking on a particular dimension with the regular presence of a Belgian surgical team at the King Baudouin Hospital, promoting an exchange of skills between Congolese and Belgian doctors for the benefit of the local populations,” writes the Belgian Embassy in Kinshasa.
Brussels intends to position itself as a strategic partner of the DRC. Its 2023-2027 cooperation program provides for an investment of €250 million to strengthen several key sectors, including health, education, vocational training, employment, entrepreneurship, agriculture, governance, and public finance.
Furthermore, Belgium has increased its humanitarian aid to the DRC, bringing its annual funding to approximately €20 million, “in addition to general contributions to international humanitarian organizations.”
“Given the volatility of the context, this primarily translates into regular contributions to the DRC Humanitarian Fund, of which Belgium is one of the main donors. In this way, we guarantee greater flexibility, particularly to local and national humanitarian actors, in the event of a sudden crisis in the country,” the Belgian embassy stated.
As part of its current mandate as co-chair of the Partner Coordination Group (PCG), Belgium is working to strengthen cooperation with the Congolese government to ensure the effective delivery of humanitarian aid and the continuation of development activities.
“The Belgian embassy is fully committed to supporting the Congolese authorities to find lasting and effective solutions, enabling the continuity of humanitarian and development cooperation operations for the benefit of populations affected by the conflict in the east of the country,” the diplomatic representation emphasized.
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