PBG – FY 2013 Quarterly Report 16

The program operates in five areas of the country, including the capital, Kinshasa, and the provinces of Bandundu, Katanga, Maniema, and South Kivu. PBG works closely with three categories of Congolese partners: civil society and community-based organizations, parliamentary institutions at the central and provincial level, and public institutions having a stake and role in decentralization. During the fourth quarter of FY 2013, PBG achieved several major milestones. Under IR1, the program trained a total of 1,167 members of civil society organizations across four provinces and 12 ETDs. Additionally, 64 interactions were sponsored between civil society organizations and government authorities, and 17 advocacy campaigns were implemented in the four target provinces. A workshop was also conducted on the analysis of data collected in the Bandundu central market to support an expansion of the tax base through the identification and education of taxpayers. Under IR2, PBG trained or provided technical assistance to a total of 309 staff and members of Parliament across five different legislatures at the provincial and national level. The program also promoted 29 public audiences conducted with provincial MPs, prepared a memorandum of understanding with the National Assembly Deputy Questor for support for the IT technical assistance project, and facilitated the monitoring of the budget line item to support diabetics in the South Kivu provincial budget, fiscal year 2013. Under IR3, PBG trained a total of 101 local government employees, facilitated the signing of a Public Private Partnership between the Katuba Commune and the company SAMPLIQUE on the rehabilitation and management of the commune's multi-purpose room, and submitted a report to the CTAD on accompanying measures for the implementation of the roadmap of the transfer of skills and resources to the ETDs and the provinces. The political background in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the fourth quarter of FY 2013 was marked by several significant events. A meeting of the UN Security Council on the Great Lakes Region was conducted in New York City on July 25th, chaired by the United States. The meeting highlighted a call by the Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, to prioritize political negotiations, namely, the resumption of the talks in Kampala. John Kerry, U.S. Secretary of State, noted that he was preoccupied with the recent announcements that the M23 Movement was benefiting from external assistance as well as allegations of collaboration between some FARDC units and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). National and Provincial MPs and Senators were in recess until September 15th for the National MPs and September 30th for the Provincial MPs. The period prior to these dates was marked by political debate in the media on issues concerning how to organize and conduct political consultations convened by President Joseph Kabila. The national consultations preparatory committee commenced work in August, and the consultations commenced on September 7th. Participants included the political class (presidential majority and opposition) and members of civil society with the objective of promoting a "national cohesion to better cope with all the challenges that the Congolese nation must rise to confront." In South Kivu, the Provincial Governor Marcellin Chisambo conducted a meeting with the National MP Kizito Mushizi (UNC Opposition) of the electoral district of Bukavu during the parliamentary recess. They discussed the rehabilitation of urban roads in Bukavu, an endeavor which the MP encouraged but in the name of transparency and accountability he insisted that the Governor should give clear indications on the financial aspects of this activity. In Bandundu, on July 9th, during an academic session moderated by Mr. Zebede Mudiayi, senior business analyst at the SNEL (National Electricity Service), the Bandundu MPs were informed of price adjustments for electricity at the national level. This information meeting targeted elected representatives of the Bandundu Provincial Assembly.