Subject: Child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

E-3103/03EN

Answer given by Mr Nielson

on behalf of the Commission

(18 November 2003)

The Commission is concerned by the phenomenon of recruitment of child soldiers during the seven year war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its tragic consequences for the children.

This is one of the reasons why the Commission is participating in the regional “Multi-Country Demobilization and Reintegration Programme” (MDRP) administered by the World Bank with a contribution of € 20 million. The purpose of this programme is to demobilize and reintegrate ex-combatants of the greater Great Lakes Region, including the DRC. Child soldiers are included in the programme. Special measures will be taken to ensure their proper reintegration into society.

MDRP special projects have been developed which particularly relate to the needs of child ex-combatants. It is also expected that the National Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme for the DRC will include a specific focus on children.

More broadly, the Commission promotes respect of human rights and international agreements on the protection of children’s rights through its on going project of support to the justice sector in the DRC for € 28 million. This programme is being reoriented in the framework of the new Congolese Transitional process to respond to the problem of impunity and non respect of human rights, especially in the East part of the country.