EU commissioner stresses need for reunification

The European Union commissioner for development has stressed the need for leaders in the Democratic Republic of Congo to try to reunite the country if the DRC is to receive development aid, sources in Kinshasa told IRIN. Commissioner Poul Nielsen met DRC president Joseph Kabila on Thursday before flying to Goma for talks with leaders of the rebel RCD. In March the EU council of ministers agreed provisionally to grant the DRC 120 million euros (more than US $100 million), for spending on health, roads, education and justice, but Nielsen indicated this would be conditional on progress with an inter-Congolese dialogue. “There is a link between progress on that and gradual resumption of cooperation,” he said. “The most necessary thing is to have all sides to the conflict - the internal part - to see themselves as partners in one political system.” The commissioner also said that some of the 120 million euros would now be earmarked for reintegration of armed groups in eastern DRC.