afrol News, 28 August - The World Bank Board of Executive Directors have approved a US$ 8 Million Emergency Recovery Grant for the Second Emergency Demobilisation and Reintegration Project (SEDRP) for Rwanda.

Building on the achievements of the previous phase of Rwanda Demobilisation and Reintegration Project, SEDRP will support the government’s efforts to demobilise members of armed groups of Rwandan origin and members of the Rwandan Defense Force; provide socioeconomic reintegration support to the said members following their demobilization, with a particular focus on the provision of such support to female, child, and disabled ex-combatants, the World bank explained in a statement issued late yesterday.

The statement further said to achieve these objectives, the SEDRP will support the project management as well as other components of activity, such as the demobilisation of up to a maximum of 5,500 former armed group combatants, including approximately 500 child soldiers over a period of two years, or less, depending on the rate of repatriation.

Other programmes include, the reinsertion with an initial three-month period of assistance to help ex-combatants meet their minimum basic needs from the day of discharge. The project will provide assistance in accordance with past practices to assure consistency and equal treatment of all demobilised, and will include a Basic Needs Kit (BNK), and Recognition-of-Service Allowances (RSA) for regular military personnel, said the statement, also adding that Armed Group (AG) dependents will also be provided with a Basic Reinsertion Kit, basic support and rehabilitation services.

The programme will also address social and economic issues of reintegration as well as mainstreaming of support services particularly related to the disabled, chronically ill and psycho-social targeted ex-combatants, as well as those services that target children.

“Continued support for Demobilization and Reintegration in Rwanda is an important strategic priority in light of the closing last year of the Rwanda chapter of the Multi country Demobilisation Reintegration Programme (DRP), which provided support for the demobilisation of nearly 300,000 combatants in the Great Lakes Region, and the need to maintain the necessary services for the demobilization and reintegration of members of Armed Groups of Rwandan origin, returning to the country in the wake of the on-going diplomatic and security efforts,” said Marcelo Jorge Fabre, World Bank Task Team Leader for the Project.

Expected outcomes at the end of the project include, increased number of beneficiaries settled in their chosen communities of destination, improved capacity of beneficiaries to advance their own social and economic reintegration as well as increased access of ex-combatants to support services through central and local government service provision mechanisms, the World Bank said.

By staff writer

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