The city of Nioki, located in the territory of Kutu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is hosting this Wednesday, June 21, 2023 the 8th meeting of the Provincial Steering Committee of the Maï-Ndombe Emission Reduction Program (PRE). Delegations from different sectors involved in the project took part in this meeting. Indeed, this meeting aims to coordinate programs related to the option of implementing green development through the Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+).
The implementation of this project was made possible thanks to a Grant Agreement signed between the Government of the DRC and the World Bank on July 18, 2017. This project, implemented by the Coordination Unit of the Investment Program for the Forest (UC-PIF), is spread over two phases and aims to improve the living conditions of local populations by creating jobs and income.
Many activities are planned on the sidelines of the meeting, including field visits to see the effectiveness of the physical achievements, meetings with political and administrative authorities of the entities covered by the project, as well as exchanges with the beneficiary populations to assess the level of satisfaction of the inhabitants.
Through this project, good results have already been obtained, such as the development of a provincial plan for sustainable development, the implementation of projects in favor of indigenous populations or the rehabilitation of agricultural service roads. Despite this, some challenges persist, particularly in terms of citizen security and support for business creation to promote employment.
In short, the project to Reduce Emissions linked to Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) in the DRC is part of a dynamic of sustainable development by improving the living conditions of local populations while preserving the region’s biodiversity.