Congolese Interministerial Meeting, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

An Interministerial Meeting was co-organised by the Congolese Ministry of Public Health, the Global Alliance Against Cholera and the Veolia Environnement Foundation in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, on the 10th and 11th of May 2011.

The goal of this meeting was to approve a multisectoral strategic plan, to put in place a strategy of specific integrated actions for the prevention of cholera epidemics in the D.R.C. It was also the occasion to prepare an advocacy plan for resource mobilisation. The meeting was held between the Congolese Ministries of Public Health, Energy, Environment, Planning and Rural Development, the Global Alliance Against Cholera, the Veolia Environnement Foundation, and partners including the World Health Organisation and UNICEF.

The Congolese Ministries adopted an Interministerial Memorandum of Understanding for the fight against cholera in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The memorandum agrees on:

  • The principle of “multisectoriality” as the most efficient and long term solution to eliminate cholera in the Democratic Republic of Congo;
  • The principle of coordination and cooperation between the involved parties, through the creation of a follow-up committee of the recommendations made during the Interministerial Meeting;
  • The necessity for the Government to increase internal financial resources mobilization for the fight against cholera;
  • The promotion of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene projects, adapted to local means;
  • The setting of adequate mechanisms to increase the resources absorption capacity and to encourage donors in accelerating their processes;
  • The preparation of a Multisectoral Strategic Plan for the Elimination of Cholera for 2012-2015 by the present ministries, taking into account their plans in terms of health, water, sanitation and hygiene activities; and
  • The presentation of this multisectoral strategic plan to the Government, Parliament and financial donors.

The G.A.A.C was officially launched on the occasion of this Interministerial Meeting on the 5th of May.