National Steering Committee of UK aid police reform programme in DRC
On 18 October 2013, the DRC Ministry of Interior, Security, Decentralisation and Customary Affairs (MISDAC) hosted the National Steering Committee of UK aid funded Security Sector Accountability and Police Reform (SSAPR) programme.
Steering committee of the Security Sector Accountability and Police Reform programme
The meeting aimed to validate the recommendations made by the SSAPR programme from its three pilot provinces (namely Bas-Congo; Kasaï-Occidental and South-Kivu); to examine in details the obstacles in the way of the programme’s implementation and the solutions proposed to enable ownership of the process and achievement of target results; and to gauge the progress of the programme.
The composition of the Steering Committee is reflective of the diversity of the programme partners. These are namely the MISDAC, DRC National Police (PNC), the Police Inspectorate General (IG), the Executive Secretariat of the Police Reform Steering Committee (CSRP), DRC Parliament, and the Civil Society.
During the meeting, Doctor Christopher Pycroft, DFID DRC Head of Office said:
This is an important meeting for us to discuss our SSAPR programme, share ideas, benefit from honest feedback and agree next steps. We believe that the Steering Committee is vital in reflecting the principle of national ownership. We need to work together to guide programme this so that it delivers real results for the citizens of DRC.
Building this partnership between DFID, the government of DRC, the PNC and wider stakeholders from the national and provincial assemblies and civil society is important in achieving this goal. We have a mutual responsibility to ensure the programme’s success, and that together we create a genuine sustainable change within DRC’s internal security sector.
The security sector reform is important for two reasons. First, because safety and security is a basic right and the primary responsibility of the state. There can be no development without safety and security. And second, because it is vital that citizens feel safe and secure in their communities and feel that the police is there to protect and serve them.
On concluding the Steering Committee meeting, and as part of its technical, logistical and financial support, the SSAPR programme handed over four new 4x4 vehicles completely equipped and pre-insured to be used by the implementing component of the police reform (Cellules d’Appropriation et de Mise en Œuvre (CAMO) de la réforme de la PNC).
The first meeting of the SSAPR Steering Committee held on 03 September 2011 witnessed the outline and validation of the strategy paper, the logical framework, the objectives and the activities of the SSAPR Programme for 2011-2012.