Bukavu, 24 March 2011 – The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its partners in the Government's Stabilization and Reconstruction program for war-affected areas (STAREC) inaugurated the newly completed buildings in Walungu, a town located about 45 km southeast of Bukavu, the provincial capital on 24 March, the three freshly inaugurated buildings, which were handed over to local authorities, are intended to house administrative offices, a court of Peace, and a police station.

The completion of this project is a step forward in the implementation of the International Security and Stabilization Support Strategy (ISSSS) in eastern DRC.

The STAREC program was launched by the Congolese Government in 2009 to help bring stability to eastern DRC by improving the security environment, restoring state authority in areas previously controlled by armed groups, facilitating the sustainable return and reintegration of refugees and internally displaced persons, and accelerating economic recovery.

The efforts of the United Nations and its partners under the ISSSS have focused on six priority axes geographically located as follows: the Sake-Masisi, and Rutshuru-Ishasa axes in North Kivu province, the Miti-Hombo, Burhale-Shabunda, and Baraka-Fizi-Minembwe in South Kivu, and lastly the Bunia-Boga axis in Ituri province.

In this context, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Civil Affairs Section of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) have provided training to about one hundred local civil servants who will work in the newly inaugurated buildings along the three axes in South Kivu. â¨â¨

The United Nations Police has provided training to border control police, territorial police, and mining police units. â¨â¨The cost of the project for South Kivu province alone is 87 million US dollars. â¨

International partners: â¨The main international partners for ISSSS are: The Netherlands, the United States, the United Nations Peace Building Fund, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Belgium, Canada, Japan, Spain, the European Commission, Germany, Norway, and France. â¨â¨
UN agencies and programs: â¨UNOPS, IOM, UNDP, UN-HABITAT, FAO, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNFPAâ¨â¨

Tahina Andriamamonjitianasoa and Biliaminou Alao / MONUSCO