 | Destruction of environment after the volcanic eruption in Goma-Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC) |
The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), UNHCR and UN-HABITAT last week organised a conference to discuss the issue of land, housing and property for returning refugees and internally displaced persons.
The two-day a political and technical conference, which opened on July 1 in Goma, North Kivu, was held as part of the UN stabilization plan for the eastern DRC, which aims at building a sustainable framework for the refugees’ return and reintegration. The conference was an open dialogue between government and civil society on how to resolve questions of access to land, property rights and housing and shelter strategies for the returnees. National and provincial political authorities, members of the provincial judicial system, legal experts, local NGOs and the UN system contributed to the high level workshop in sharing challenges and experiences, at territorial level and in providing technical expertise on both customary and statutory land management within the three eastern Congo provinces. At the end of the workshop and through consultative working groups, 17 recommendations were included into an action plan for which a follow-up mechanism will be established. The recommendations revolved around land conflict prevention and resolution; regional land policy; shelter and housing strategies. |
