 | UN-Habitat handing over the equipment to DRC |
UN-Habitat last week donated to the Congolese government in North Kivu Province state-of-the-art land equipment worth USD 80,000.
The equipment is expected to enable the local land administration to improve their capacity in addressing land tenure and security challenges and to further assist the locals in protecting land rights and recovering rightful ownership to land in post-conflict Congo.
Mrs. Axumite Gebre Egziabher, Director, UN-Habitat Regional Office for Africa, said it was wonderful that the collaboration between UN-Habitat and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) had resulted in such a remarkable development effort that will see the land issues being attended to efficiently.
The local land administration will gain through the donation of four sets each of theodolites, GPS, levels, kits, computers, software and other accessories together with training to be offered on the use of the equipment.
Mrs. Gebre Egziabher, added that the equipment would provide very exciting opportunities for the local communities and landowners whose lands were lost during the past conflicts in Congo as the tools will make it easier for land survey and land mapping be carried out a fresh in a more reliable way.
"UN-Habitat is proud to be working with the people of DRC in addressing some of the challenges brought about by the civil wars and we hope that people of Congo will rise again," says Axumite.
The Minister of Land Affairs of North Kivu Mr. Guillame Bulenda while giving thanks on behalf of the government said the land administration and the people of DRC in general were delighted by the provision of the kits and promised that the government will employ their use to the benefit of the Congolese people.
In the past two years, UN-Habitat in collaboration with the USAID has been involved in the post-conflict recovery missions in Eastern DR Congo to help alleviate the numerous development challenges facing Northern Kivu Province and other parts of the country with severe land disputes from decades of civil war making both the economic recovery and the return and reintegration of those displaced impossible.
Mrs. Axumite Gebre Egziabher was accompanied by Mr. Joseph Guiebo the Senior Human Settlement Officer and Oumar Sylla the UN-Habitat Chief Technical Advisor to DRC Congo. |
