The eight-member delegation of MEPs are in the DRC, from Monday 27 to Wednesday 29 October, to assess the EU’s approach to sustainable development in fragile settings, and what lessons can be learned on the practical implementation of the development, humanitarian and peace nexus.
They will meet relevant stakeholders and visit projects in Lubumbashi to consider how the EU’s flagship Global Gateway initiative works in practice in the DRC. MEPs will also evaluate efforts to support governance and transparency in the management of the DRC’s natural resources, in particular given the critical role of Congolese minerals in global critical raw materials supply chains and taking into account the wider human rights and social cohesion aspects.
In the course of their three-day mission, MEPs will meet local government officials, representatives of civil society organisations active in sustainable development, biodiversity conservation, mining governance, and the protection of human rights in the extractive industries. They will also make a number of field trips to see first-hand the impact of EU support for projects involved in agriculture, , technical and vocational training, local community participation, women’s empowerment, and the prevention of child labour practices.