#1GOOD GOVERNANCE AS THE ENGINE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO U.S. INSTITUTE OF PEACE RESPONSIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE LEADERSHIP FOR A PEACEFUL AND PROSPEROUS CONGO MAY 14, 2010 Stephan Tubene, Ph.D.; President, Federation of Congolese Abroad --FCE Claver Pashi, Ph.D.; Executive Director, DR Congo Forum#2Background Theme ■ Responsive and Accountable Leadership for a Peaceful and Prosperous Congo: Voices of the Diaspora Session goals □ Discuss Congolese perspectives and recommendations to improve economic and political policies in the Congo with members of the international community □ Initiate an ongoing exchange of ideas and cooperation for an effective Diaspora involvement in peacebuilding strategies [Share Congolese Diaspora's willingness to engage in the actual economic development of the Congo]#3Introduction Good governance implies competent management of a country's resources and affairs in a manner that is open, transparent, accountable, equitable and responsive to people's needs Paper Objectives ■ Present a conceptual framework of a good governance ■ Demonstrate the role of an improved governance in building democratic institutions and bringing about economic development in the Congo □ Provide peacebuilding strategies for the Congo#4Introduction (Cont.) Presentation Organization ■ Part 1 discusses the concept of good governance Part 2 discusses the application (or misapplication) of governance in the context of the Congo □ Part 3 provides strategies for the implementation of good governance in the Congo □ Part 4 discusses Peacebuilding Strategies for the Congo □ Conclusion and recommendations#5Good Governance Concept Governance is defined as the exercise of authority (political, economic, or administrative) to manage a country's resources and affairs ☐ Governance comprises the mechanisms, processes, and institutions through which citizens and groups Articulate their interests ☐ Exercise their legal rights ☐ Meet their obligations and ☐ Mediate their differences#6Governance in the Congo "We know that the promise of the D.R.C. is limitless. We will help you build a strong, civilian-lead government that is accountable and transparent, an independent judiciary, a professional military that respects human rights, a free press, and an active and engaged citizenry. A society whose institutions respect the rule of law" "I think that student leaders like yourselves are the ones who have to speak-out for the progress that you seek. Speak-out to end the corruption, the violence and the conflict that have for too long eroded opportunity across this country. Together you can write a new chapter of Congolese history" ---U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; Kinshasa, August 10, 2009 Source: The Voice of America, www.voanews.com#7Governance in the Congo (Cont.) US$390 million governance program-UNDP UNDP to sign US$390 million governance programme with DRC - Windows Internet Explorer http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2008/january/drc-governance-20080125.en?categoryID=349431&lang=en File Edit View Favorites Tools Help Links Customize Links < UNDP to sign US$390 million governance progra... UNDP Home About UNDP Regions Millennium Development Goals What We Do Newsroom United Nations Development Programme Newsroom X Live Search Page▾ Tools ▼ Printable Version Send This Page Español Français UN DP Contents News ⚫ Topics Millennium Development Goals Democratic Governance Poverty Reduction Crisis Prevention & Recovery Environment & Energy HIV/AIDS ⚫ Capacity Development Women's Empowerment UNDP Administrator ⚫ Regions Africa • Arab States • Asia & the Pacific Europe & the CIS Latin America & the Caribbean * Date 2010 2009 AFRICA UNDP to sign US$390 million governance programme with DRC Police nationale congolaise (Photo: Kevin Jordan/MONUC) Read in: Français 25 January 2008 Kinshasa - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will next week sign a US$390 million governance programme with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The programme will run though 2012 and aims primarily to promote a system of stable and credible governance to support sustainable human development in the country. In addition to the resources provided by UNDP and the UK's Department for International Development, which is providing $90 million, the programme, the European Union and Switzerland are contributing three million Euros and approximately $1.5 million, respectively. The governance programme supports the growth and poverty reduction strategy paper of the DRC and consists of five strategic governance components: political, administrative, economic, local, as well as legal and security issues. It is accordingly designed to lay the groundwork for the emergence of a strong state capable of boosting national unity and reconciliation; ensuring the security of its people and their property; increasing citizen access and participation in the political system; improving the performance of government administration and government agencies; enhancing the accessibility and quality of public services; and ensuring transparency and accountability in the management of public resources and services. "This programme is one of UNDP's responses to the challenges generated by a decade of crises and of political economic and social instability in the DRC," explained Adama Guindo, Country Director for UNDP DRC. T Welcome Center Microsoft Exchange... http://www.f-ce.co... http://www.f-ce.co... Internet | Protected Mode: On Webmail Windows... UNESCAP | What is ... UNDP to sign US$39... instituteof peace_go... instrManual.pdf - A... Document1 - Micro... 100% 3:01 PM Wednesday 5/12/2010 >>#8Governance in the Congo Five strategic governance components in the Congo ■ Political Administrative □ Economic □ Local □ Legal and security issues Source: UNDP www.undp.org#9Governance in the Congo (Cont.) Goals □ Lay the groundwork for the emergence of a strong state capable of boosting national unity and reconciliation ■ Ensure the security of its people and their property □ Increase citizen access and participation in the political system □ Improve the performance of government administration and government agencies Enhance the accessibility and quality of public services. Ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public resources and services#10Evaluating Governance in the Congo In the light of the Good Governance framework, Congo fails the test of Good Governance ☐ Exercise of authority (political, economic, or administrative) to manage a country's resources and affairs-Congo known for its mismanagement Governance comprises the mechanisms, processes, and institutions through which citizens and groups ☐ Articulate their interests---basic needs not met ☐ Exercise their legal rights---corruption and co-opted judiciary ☐ Mediate their differences---lack of democracy, and consensus in decision-making processes#11Good Governance Strategies for the Congo Executive Branch of the Government □ Fund parliamentary commissions sufficiently and cooperate with their investigations Strengthen the judiciary by supporting legislation to guarantee the independence of the courts. Raise salaries of civil servants above the poverty level □ Create a National Program in Support of Governance to coordinate all "good governance" activities ■ Promote accountability and transparency in the management of natural resources Implement the decentralization plan and effectively empower local entities#12Good Governance Strategies for the Congo(Cont.) ☐ Legislative Branch of the Government ◉Revisit/renegotiate mining contracts signed during wars □ Create a permanent parliamentary commission on natural resources to review mining and forestry codes and management of mining revenues □ Create a trust-funds earmarked for development- related projects Judiciary Branch of the Government ■ Promote transparency by enforcing anti-corruption laws ■ Prosecute corruption charges at all levels ■ Move towards judiciary independence [Adapted from Intl Crisis Group, 20061#13Peacebuilding Strategies for the Congo Principles □ A responsible transformational leadership in the Congo should emerge through democratic elections A plan for peace in the Congo and the Great Lakes region should take into consideration the fundamental principles of territorial integrity Peacebuilding Strategies for the Congo □ Establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission □ Implement Justice-Reparation Process ■ Promote and Protect Human Rights in the Congo ◉Establish and Promote Democratic Institutions Establish a national and truly republican army#14Concluding Remarks For many years, Congo has been operating in the culture of impunity □ Mechanisms of accountability are the corner stone of good governance It is known that the culture of impunity corroborates corruption, favoritism, tribalism, regionalism, and nepotism □ These mechanisms of accountability are long overdue in the Congo and must be enacted upon □ Impunity ought to end while prosecution and reparation ought to be imposed through an independent judicial system that is equitable and fair#15Concluding Remarks (Cont.) Good Governance □ Openness, transparency, accountability, and equity in conducting public affairs constitute the golden rule for good governance Efficient and effective management of "public resources" entrusted in the hands of public servants must be institutionalized in the Congo ■ Rule of law, population participation in governance, responsiveness, consensus-oriented as characteristics of good governance can only be restored by a transformational and responsible leadership, which is currently lacking in the Congo#16Concluding Remarks (Cont.) ■ Good Governance (Cont.) ■ Despite many seminars organized on good governance in the Congo, this subject still remains a myth that must be overcome A transformational and responsible leadership for the Congo may be a dream today that will become a reality tomorrow provided that Congolese themselves commit to real change#17Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!