PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION – UNDP AND UNHCR COOPERATION ON FORCED DISPLACEMENT AND STATELESSNESS DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UNDP and UNHCR have increased collaboration, building on past experience of co-funded pilot projects in four eastern provinces. The pilot projects helped to develop local government planning tools in areas of internal displacement and return, where public services and administrative capacity were absent. They increased access to justice and security for refugees and IDPs in remote areas by supporting mobile courts and investigations. The projects supported the formulation of a provincial strategy for IDPs, a durable solutions working group set up by the provincial government, multi-sectoral interagency needs assessments and a co-financed initiative for integration. UNDP and UNHCR have managed their collaboration through various means, including co-financing and a joint planning workshop in April 2023. The workshop provided an opportunity to reaffirm commitments to collaborate and agree on priority intervention areas and geographic zones where further collaboration should be pursued. References • UNDP, ‘Programme des Nations Unies pour la Développement en RDC: Rapport Annuel 20202022,’ p. 23 © UNDP/Benoit Almeras UNDP and UNHCR prepared a larger joint programme in 2023 to support local governance and development in zones of return for refugees and IDPs in eastern DRC. A pilot phase included preparation of local development plans, assessment of local finances, and preparation of a recovery plan, budgets and local security plans. The programme and the pilot are guided by developing durable solutions that will enable successful reintegration. 16 U N H C R a n d U N D P | PA R T N E R S H I P I N A C T I O N – U N D P A N D U N H C R C O O P E R AT I O N O N F O R C E D D I S P L A C E M E N T A N D S TAT E L E S S N E S S