[The response is also available in German here]

DEG always takes criticism and remarks about the investments that it co-finances seriously and follows them up. For that to happen, it pursues an active dialogue with civil society. This also applies to the investment of the company Plantations et Huileries du Congo SA (PHC) in DR Congo... We are unable to comprehend the comments made in the above mentioned statement...

Within this context, DEG has drawn attention to its complaint management system on several occasions. This mechanism is open to individuals and organisations that believe they have been negatively impacted by investments co-financed by DEG. The complaints submitted to this instance are checked and processed by an independent committee of experts...

At the invitation of the provincial government of Tshopo a meeting took place in November 2017 in Kisangani for the Lokutu plantation site, involving community representatives and PHC. The aim was to agree on a coordinated strategy between the communities in the plantation area, government and company for developing social infrastructure. The peaceful and constructively led discussions culminated in specific, written agreements. According to the company, all the participating representatives of the communities returned to their villages after the meeting...