River Partners: Applying Ecosystem-Based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR) in Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) in the Lukaya Basin, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Publisher: UNEP and the European Commission
Date: 2016
Topics: Climate Change, Land, Livelihoods, Renewable Resources
Countries: Congo (DRC)
In 2013-2016, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Commission (EC) supported a pilot demonstration project on Ecosystembased Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Implemented in partnership with the National Government, the Lukaya River Users Association (AUBR/L), and other local partners, the Eco-DRR project aimed to reduce flood and gully erosion risks and support community livelihoods through applying Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) in the Lukaya River basin, located in the outskirts of the capital Kinshasa. The Eco-DRR project built-on and closely complemented an integrated catchment management demonstration project in the same basin, which was carried out by UNEP with support from the UN Development Account (2013-2016). Activities of both projects were implemented in a joint and integrated manner, although the stress on specific principles differed based on each project’s respective aims and plans. It was DRC’s first experience of applying IWRM, which was tailored to the local needs of the DRC. The project also served as a model for demonstrating how IWRM provides an effective framework for promoting Eco-DRR concepts and measures.