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DFID hands over renovated building to the DRC Ministry of Interior

Official handover to the DRC Ministry of Interior of a renovated building for the Inter-Ministerial Commission for Territory Management

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HANDOVER

DRC Vice-Minister of Interior receiving keys to the building from DFID Head of Office

On 22 August 2013, DFID DRC Head of Office, Dr Christopher Pycroft, handed over to the DRC Ministry of Interior a building renovated, furnished, and fitted with Internet connection. The building will house the office of the recently created Inter-Ministerial Commission for Territory Management (CIRT).

The renovation of the building was funded as part of a DFID programme aimed at Security Sector Accountability and Police Reform in the DRC. The programme is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Interior, which has jurisdiction over domestic security, national police, and territorial management.

In his speech, Dr Pycroft said: We are very happy to have established a partnership with the Ministry of Interior and to support the Congolese government domestic security and police reform.”

“The aim of our support is to ensure that the DRC puts in place a police force that serves the Congolese people. This will be achieved through strengthening the training of the police, building their capacities, and enabling greater accountability, both internally and externally”.

With regard to its overall support to the Ministry of Interior, DFID wishes to help Congolese authorities to enhance security governance and strengthen state authority.

More specifically, the CIRT will among other tasks build the capacity of state territory administrators. This will help bring about change within the country’s internal security, from the central down to the local level.

Dr Pycroft considered the creation of the CIRT and the renovated building as a defining moment for security governance in the DRC.

Upon receiving the keys to the new building, DRC Vice-Minister of Interior, His Excellency Egide-Michel Ngokoso, said: “This building is a testament to the excellent bilateral cooperation between the DRC and the UK. It also demonstrates the interest of DRC government to manage better its territory”.

Updates to this page

Published 23 August 2013
Last updated 23 August 2013 + show all updates
  1. Added translation

  2. First published.