Even during the current period of crisis and escalating violence,

I have come to see how important it is to plant the seeds of development and address the underlying vulnerabilities that have uprooted so many families across the country in the first place. A view of the Kalunga IDP site in the DRC. Caption: The Kalunga IDP site, located a few kilometers from the center of Kalemie, hosts around , people displaced by inter-communal violence in Tanganyika province. Photo: © OCHA/Endurance Lum Nji During several visits to Tanganyika province, which has a high level of internally displaced people, I was struck by how many different factors—both symptoms and drivers of displacement—are at play, including high levels of food insecurity, difficulty accessing services, competition for the richness of the region’s natural resources and the escalation of violence against civilians.

I spoke to many internally displaced people during these visits to

Tanganyika Province, and each of them shared their own story of displacement and explained the harsh conditions in which they currently live. “What we want most in the world is to return to our homes, to cultivate our land; but the security conditions are not in place yet, so we have to continue living in these difficult conditions. We want peace to return, because only peace lasting peace can allow us to return to our villages,” explained one of the leaders of the Kabembe IDP site in the town of Taba, Congo. Finding a lasting solution to forced displacement Spain Phone Number List in this part of the country clearly requires the participation of diverse actors, from peacebuilders, to humanitarian actors, development partners and local government, all working together towards a common game plan and collective results. In the context of this nexus, development can have an important multiplier effect, helping to strengthen local actors and systems, boost local economic development and support the return of state authority. It is essential to work with local organizations, including NGOs and civil society organizations.

the coming years. Lemarquis meets with staff at the

IDP site in with FAO and WFP colleagues supporting IDPs living there. Photo: OCHA A hopeful path The United Nations Secretary-General’s Action Plan on Internal Displacement, launched today, marks an important step in this direction. Building on the recommendations of the High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement from late , this UK Phone Number List action agenda sets out a series of commitments for the United Nations system to step up its engagement and build protection and local alliances at the center. The challenges facing the DRC are significant, but I am hopeful that the new Action Plan, together with the nexus-based approach, will ensure greater protection of displaced communities, the strengthening of local authorities and the implementation progress of development actors.