Between the 23rd of May and the 3rd of June, a delegation from the Independent Complaints Mechanism (ICM), a joint initiative of development banks DEG, FMO et Proparco, visited DR Congo to advance a community mediation process between PHC and local communities in the Lokutu and Boteka areas.
This process, which was initiated by local community representatives in 2018, is being led by the Independent Expert Panel (IEP) of the ICM, a specialized group of social and human rights experts with rich experience in community mediation. Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, ICM was required to postpone the start of the mediation process. In October 2021, however, progress resumed with the selection of an experienced mediator who has been approved by both the local communities’ representatives and PHC.
The ICM delegation that arrived in DR Congo on May 23rd was composed of two ICM delegation leaders, the selected mediator, and an assistant. The delegation began their visit in Kinshasa, where they held meetings over the course of several days with leadership from PHC and as well as the NGO that filed the complaint on behalf of the communities.
The delegation then travelled to Lokutu, where they met with several chefs de groupement and complainants in order gain a more in depth understanding of the grievances to be examined during the mediation. While in Lokutu, the delegation also held meetings with PHC-Lokutu’s Area General Manager, as well as members of the Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) team to learn more about the company’s perspectives and its progress implementing various social initiatives.
After the visit, the ICM delegation provided all parties with some initial impressions of the state of affairs in Lokutu, which included its perception of a commonly held sentiment that PHC should continue to grow and prosper, and that the surrounding communities should prosper alongside it. The ICM delegation equally shared the next steps of the mediation process, which include identifying the stakeholder representatives who will participate in the mediation and training these representatives to ensure smooth and constructive dialogue.
PHC fully supports the community mediation process and remains committed to creating shared prosperity. As such, PHC continues to work with communities to identify new opportunities to build this prosperity together.