VI: Progress report on the PBF Priority Plan

Result 1: Implementation of the Provincial Stabilization Strategies and Action Plans, through the establishment and funding of the SCF and a coordination mechanism. Indicator, baseline, target

Indicator 1.1: Establishment of the SCF and coordination mechanisms, including Fund instruments, Technical Secretariat and national and provincial funding boards.

Baseline: Terms of Reference of the SCF available in draft form and accepted through the Stabilization Donor Forum.

Target: Terms of Reference formally approved by the donors and government, SCF established by Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office, Technical Secretariat funded and recruited, national and provincial funding boards established and operational with the support of the Technical Secretariat (realizing the launch of the calls for proposals, evaluation of concept notes and projects).

Indicator 1.2: Proportion of key partners (members of funding boards, STAREC staff and implementing agencies) expressing satisfaction with the support of the Technical Secretariat.

Baseline: Not available.

Target: At least 50% of key stakeholders believe that the Technical Secretariat provides them with adequate support for the implementation of Provincial Stabilization Plans.

Indicator 1.3: % of financial support from development partners for Provincial Stabilization Strategies.

Baseline: Not available.

Target: 75% of 75 million USD. SCF instrument, Terms of Reference of the Technical Secretariat and recruitment of staff, Nomination of candidates for the funding boards, Minutes of board meetings.

A short survey targeting key stakeholders, coordinated by the Technical Secretariat every 6 months. Progress

The SCF was created in November 2015. The Fund was officially launched during the first meeting of the NFB held on April 6, 2016 in Kinshasa, and became fully operational with the establishment of its governance and management structures and the approval of the Operational Manual by the copresidents of the NFB on August 6, 2016.

In 2017 the NFB met twice in Kinshasa in February and again in October which resulted in the approval of a flexible envelop to launch a program in the 6th priority zone in Beni, North Kivu. Additionally, the NFB approved the revision of the SCF Operations Manual and Terms of Reference which was updated by the SCF cell in order to capitalize on the lessons learned from the first three call for proposals.

At the provincial level the PFB in North Kivu met three times and was able to resolve several political blockages which prevented the Kitshanga program from being effectively implemented. The PBF in South Kivu also met three times. The main result was the validation of a compact for the Ruzizi and Kalehe programs between the Provincial Government, program implementing partners and the SCF donor community. In Ituri, the PFB met only once this year to approve the Ituri program, the Governor has shown a great deal of political support this year to the ISSSS programs through a 10,000 USD contribution to the Mambasa program, as well as support to negotiate directly with the national authorities on the demobilization of the armed group FRPI.

A perception survey administered to ISSSS Technical Secretariat key partners in July 2017 indicated that 67% of partners were satisfied with the support services they received from the Technical Secretariat, while 33% believe that services could be improved. This was the first time a perception survey of this kind of initiative by the Technical Secretariat, a follow up survey is envisioned in the first quarter of 2018.

Letters of commitment from donors, Balance of fund. In 2017 the SCF received a total of 14,957,268 USD. The Kingdom of Sweden and Germany became the newest donor to pledge their support to the SCF when they committed 5,236,788 USD and 1,482,012 USD respectively.

Three existing donors, the United Kingdom, Norway and the Netherlands made an additional contribution of 4,601,719 USD, 2,693,653 USD and 1,000,000 USD respectively.

In 2017, an amount of 7,000,000 USD has been approved for a new stabilization program in Beni (North Kivu). In addition, the year 2017 saw four operational support projects approved for an overall budget of 877,782 USD.

With the new contributions to the SCF, the total amount of contributions to the SCF amounts to 40,265,165 USD of which approximately 8.7 million USD is available for additional programming in 2018 and beyond.

Result 2: Implementation of the Provincial Stabilization Strategies and Action Plans, through the establishment of a compact for STAREC and ISSSS between the Government of the DRC and international partners. Indicator 1.4: % of support from GoDRC government for Provincial Stabilization Strategies.

Baseline: Not available.

Target: 10% of 75 million USD. Letters of commitment of GoDRC, Balance of fund, National and provincial budgets, Accountability Report.

Indicator 2.1: Existence of ‘compacts’ between the GoDRC and international partners, describing the responsibilities and commitments of each party for a successful ISSSS implementation approved by the funding boards.

Baseline: The need for compacts is described in the ISSSS. Each Provincial Stabilization Strategy describes the key interventions at the national and provincial levels that needs to be addressed.

Target: Each call for proposals and all approved proposals need to be accompanied by a written compact that is signed by the GoDRC and international partners, and a description of the respective commitments to ensure the success of stabilization projects, including key reforms and the financial or in-kind contributions of all parties.

Indicator 2.2: % of budget support from the GoDRC and partners for STAREC management and programming.

Baseline: Low financial support for STAREC (approx. 45,000 per month for salaries)

Target: Increase of GoDRC's contribution to STAREC, in parallel, decrease in project support. (The ISSSS support includes an allocation for STAREC reinforcement and project follow-up which will decrease to 60% in year 2 and 30% in year 3). Reports on progress in the negotiation of Compacts, Compacts.

Project support to the Technical Secretariat, including support to the STAREC team. The GoDRC has showed increased engagement in the stabilization process through regular participation in the Funding Board Mechanisms at national and provincial level, which has led to renewed confidence from the donor community.

In terms of political engagement, the Governors of Iruri and South Kivu have signed a compact with the SCF donors and stabilization implementing partners committing themselves to concrete technical and political actions they will take to support ISSSS programs and ensure their durability. In North Kivu the compact is still under development; initial discussions with the provincial authorities have been productive.

In terms of financial contributions, the Government in Ituri committed 10,000 USD to support the durability of the Mambasa program.

See above point on compacts.

Progress on operational support from the National Authorities to support the functioning of STAREC continues to be limited due to the political situation in DRC. The support from PBF to the functioning of STAREC provincial offices came to an end if March 2017, and has caused substantial challenges in the working relationship with the National counterpart. Support to STAREC has however continued through the funding of field visits allowing the ISSSS Technical Secretariat to conduct joint monitoring and evaluation of the ISSSS at field level, in line with the SCF Operations Manual.

Result 3: Implementation of the Provincial Stabilization Strategies and Action Plans, through quick programming and the qualitative funding allocations for ISSSS projects, to utilize the momentum for stabilization interventions in Eastern DRC. Indicator 2.3: MONUSCO's leadership promotes the implementation of ISSSS and coordination with the military component of MONUSCO and other civilian interventions in the targeted areas.

Baseline: Not available.

Target: SSU organizes quarterly civil-military meetings on the theme of stabilization and planning of post-military stabilization operations.

Indicator 3.1: % of funding allocated to the SCF during the first 4 months after the launch of the fund, including PBF funds and funds for aligned programs.

Baseline: Not available.

Target: At least 75% of funds available for projects in the first four months. Criteria for project approval include a consideration of the need for military intervention and exchange with MONUSCO military leadership on security and coordination of military and stabilization interventions.

Minutes of board meetings, existence of project documentation and transfers of funding.

Indicator 3.2: Quality projects are approved by the funding boards.

Baseline: Not available.

Target: 100% of the projects approved by the funding boards have been reviewed by the Technical Secretariat and sector specialists, and projects meet the key criteria, including gender mainstreaming, results orientation, conflict sensitivity, demonstrated capacity of the implementing partners and coherence.

Indicator 3.3: % of ISSSS projects dedicated to women's empowerment and gender mainstreaming. Project evaluation sheets attached to project approvals.

Indicators for gender monitoring. MONUSCO has validated a joint strategy towards the FRPI. The SCF project is at the center of the operationalization of this plan as it offers both the Democratic Dialogue process as well as a solid reference program for other sectorial actions, also by MONUSCO in the area, such as land governance and mediation, reinforcing PNC and FARDC, socio-economic activities for ex-combatants and youth at risk. In this way, the SCF program plays a key role in coordinating and orienting other actions in a coherent manner in the intervention zone.

In 2017 the SCF received a total of 14,957,268 USD. The Kingdom of Sweden and Germany became the newest donor to pledge their support to the SCF when they committed 5,236,788 USD and 1,482,012 USD respectively.

Three existing donors, the United Kingdom, Norway and the Netherlands made an additional contribution of 4,601,719 USD, 2,693,653 USD and 1,000,000 USD respectively.

In 2017, an amount of 7,000,000 USD has been approved for a new stabilization program in Beni (North Kivu). In addition, the year 2017 saw four operational support projects approved for an overall budget of 877,782 USD.

With the new contributions to the SCF, the total amount of contributions to the SCF amounts to 40,265,165 USD of which approximately 8.7 million USD is available for additional programming in 2018 and beyond.

In addition, six programs/projects have been aligned to the ISSSS and an additional four “alignable” projects are expected to reach the alignment status soon. This brings the total number of bilateral partners to six (see figures on page 24) and the total funding volume to 119.6 million USD which is an increase of 43% compared to 2016.

In 2017 100% of projects approved by the provincial funding boards were reviewed by members from the Provincial secretariats who sat on Technical Evaluations Committees and provide the PFB members with concrete recommendations and evaluations on which programs to select based on a series of criteria and technical analysis which center agreed gender sensitive conflict analysis, and the capacity of the implementing partners to operate in complex and insecure environments.

The North Kivu secretariat has recently launched a call for proposal in Beni, and it is expected the process will be finalized in April 2018.

The ISSSS Technical Secretariat has now operationalize the ISSSS Gender Guidelines in 2017 through: 1) the selection of five gender sensitive ISSSS programs; 2) the inclusion of gender in the information kit and training of new SCF implementing partners; 3) specific training sessions for implementing partners on gender responsive budgeting; 4) inclusion of gender results and best practices in the narrative

Target: Gender allocations monitored and at least 15% of funds allocated to women's empowerment and/or interventions on gender mainstreaming. Through the training with partners on gender responsive budgeting, it was determined that their projects include more than 15% of budget dedicated to gender equality results, these results are now more adequately captured in the narrative reports through a revision of the template.

SSU Gender Advisor conducted gender responsive budget training to all implementing partners and secretariats in three provinces leading to more accurate reporting on GRB and gender equality results.