Statement of the Humanitarian Coordinator in the Republic of Congo about the Publication of the Final Report of the Operational Review of Exposure to Corrupt Practices in the Delivery Mechanisms of Humanitarian Aid in the DRC

At the end of 2018, allegations of fraud and corruption in the delivery of humanitarian assistance in the Democratic Republic of the Congo were reported. These allegations prompted the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) in the DRC to take a closer look at the modalities through which our life-saving operations are carried out and to commission and independent study to investigate the claims.

Today, the humanitarian community in the DRC is making public the results of this study, formally known as the "Operational Review of Exposure to Corrupt Practices in the Delivery Mechanisms of Humanitarian Aid in the DRC" ("the Operational Review"). By publishing the Operational Review, we are taking concrete action to improve the performance of our humanitarian operations, not only in the DRC, but also in other countries where life-saving humanitarian operations are carried out in highly complex and high-risk environments.

The Operational Review has been generously financed by the Government of the United Kingdom.
The Review, conducted by independent consultants, is a qualitative study of the risks of corruption and fraud in humanitarian operations in the DRC. It aims to understand and analyze the conditions that lead to such abuse in order for humanitarian partners and recipients of humanitarian aid to better combat them.

The Operational Review proposes measures to mitigate the risks of fraud and corruption through strategic and operational recommendations addressed to international and national non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies and donors. The Humanitarian Country Team asked these four groups of stakeholders to review these recommendations and propose a roadmap of priority actions by September 2020. While some recommendations may require collective actions, others will rely on the individual responsibility of each humanitarian actor.

The Operational Review and its recommendations complement initiatives already undertaken by the humanitarian community since January 2019 to limit the incidence of fraud and corruption. As a reminder, some United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations have conducted their own internal reviews of their respective operational procedures to identify and correct weaknesses in the control and the management of humanitarian projects. Moreover, collective measures have also been adopted and implemented to improve the collect, triangulation, and analysis of data by external teams, and to ensure more thorough monitoring and follow-up by organizational managers.

Allegations of abuse have also surfaced with regard to our humanitarian operations. Here, I wish to categorically state that the United Nations applies an absolute "Zero Tolerance" policy with regards to sexual exploitation and abuse. As Humanitarian Coordinator, I am fully committed to ensuring that the HCT puts in place strict policies to stop all abuse, including through the conduct of thorough investigations and the prosecution of convicted perpetrators. As a collective, the HCT will also put in place mechanisms that will provide psycho-social and material support to the victims and to the survivors.

The DRC faces one of the most serious humanitarian crises in the world. In 2019, humanitarian operations conducted by the UN and NGO partners provided relief to 7.5 million people across the country thanks to the generosity of donors that contributed US$713 million in financial assistance. In 2020, the number of people in need in the DRC is expected to increase, mainly due to the socioeconomic fallout of the Covid-19 crisis, a resurgence of Ebola and other diseases, and unresolved conflicts in the eastern part of the country. The Humanitarian Country Team will continue to engage with the international community to ensure that resources are mobilized to satisfy the needs of our Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP).

Meanwhile, the humanitarian community in the DRC is committed to working with all partners and the national government to combat fraud, corruption, sexual exploitation, and abuse at all levels. The Operational Review and its recommendations will contribute to making us more transparent, more credible, and a trustworthy partner to our donors. Most of all, the Review will contribute to improving our performance and accountability to those who most need our help – the vulnerable populations in need in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

[The Operational Review is available here in French and English]

Contact: Joseph Inganji, Head of Office, OCHA DRC, +243970003760, inganji@un.org Yvon Edoumou, Public Information Officer, OCHA DRC, +243819889148, edoumou@un.org