Call for Economic Opportunities for Refugees and Returnees (Congo DR)

Deadline: 30-Sep-2026

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is inviting expressions of interest from partners to promote sustainable livelihoods, economic inclusion, self-reliance, and peaceful coexistence for refugees and returnees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The initiative forms part of UNHCR’s strategic efforts to advance durable solutions for refugees and returnees by improving access to economic opportunities, strengthening resilience, and supporting sustainable reintegration into communities.

By 2030, the programme aims to help refugees and returnees gain equitable access to sustainable livelihoods and economic systems, with a target of at least 25% of beneficiaries achieving economic autonomy and significantly reducing their dependence on humanitarian assistance.

About the UNHCR Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Initiative

The initiative focuses on creating pathways toward economic autonomy and durable solutions for refugees and returnees.

Rather than concentrating only on short-term assistance, the programme seeks to strengthen skills, improve access to economic and financial systems, develop sustainable income opportunities, and promote stronger connections between displaced populations and local economies.

It also recognises that economic inclusion can contribute to peaceful coexistence and stronger social cohesion between refugees, returnees, and host communities.

2030 Programme Goal

The initiative aims to ensure that by 2030, refugees and returnees have:

• Equitable access to sustainable livelihoods.
• Improved economic resilience.
• Greater opportunities for self-reliance.
• Progress toward durable reintegration.
• Better access to economic and financial systems.
• Increased opportunities for employment and self-employment.
• Reduced dependence on humanitarian aid.

A key programme target is for at least 25% of beneficiaries to achieve economic autonomy.

Strengthening Technical and Professional Skills

Partners are expected to strengthen the technical, professional, and entrepreneurial skills of refugees and returnees.

Skills development should respond to actual economic opportunities rather than being based solely on generic training needs.

Interventions should therefore take into account:

• Local labour-market needs.
• Emerging market opportunities.
• Employer requirements.
• Opportunities for self-employment.
• Entrepreneurial potential.
• Relevant vocational skills.

The objective is to improve the ability of refugees and returnees to access sustainable income opportunities.

Supporting Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is an important component of the initiative.

Partners can support refugees and returnees in developing entrepreneurial competencies and accessing opportunities that can contribute to sustainable income generation.

Entrepreneurship interventions should be linked to documented market demand and realistic income potential.

Access to Economic and Financial Systems

The initiative seeks to improve equitable access to economic and financial systems.

This includes opportunities related to:

• Savings.
• Credit.
• Productive cash transfers.
• Financial services.
• Market opportunities.

Improved access to these systems can help refugees and returnees establish, strengthen, and sustain productive economic activities.

Inclusive Economic Opportunities

Partners are expected to support inclusive economic opportunities that contribute to self-reliance, sustainable reintegration, and social cohesion.

The programme seeks approaches that connect refugees and returnees with broader economic systems rather than creating isolated opportunities.

Economic inclusion should contribute to stronger relationships between displaced populations, host communities, employers, businesses, and public institutions.

Market-Based Approach

Proposed interventions must be based on recent and documented market analyses.

Applicants should demonstrate an understanding of the economic environment in each intervention area, including:

• Market demand.
• Relevant value chains.
• Access barriers.
• Income potential.
• Employment opportunities.
• Opportunities for self-employment.
• Access to financial services.

This market-based approach is intended to ensure that supported livelihoods have realistic prospects for sustainability.

Value Chain Development

Applicants should consider relevant value chains when designing livelihood interventions.

Understanding where economic opportunities exist within a value chain can help partners identify appropriate skills, businesses, buyers, employers, financial services, and other actors that can support sustainable income generation.

Partnerships With the Private Sector

Concrete partnerships are expected to form an important part of proposed interventions.

Applicants should demonstrate relevant collaboration with actors such as:

• Private-sector companies.
• Employers.
• Financial institutions.
• Vocational training structures.
• Cooperatives.
• Buyers.
• Relevant public services.

These partnerships should have a clear connection to the economic inclusion objectives of the proposed intervention.

Engagement With Employers

Links with employers can help refugees and returnees transition from skills development to actual employment.

Partners should identify opportunities to connect trained beneficiaries with employers and labour-market opportunities where relevant.

The focus should be on measurable economic outcomes rather than simply counting the number of people participating in training.

Financial Institutions and Access to Finance

Financial institutions can play an important role in improving access to savings, credit, and other financial services.

Applicants should consider concrete mechanisms through which refugees and returnees can overcome barriers to accessing appropriate financial products and services.

Vocational Training Structures

Partnerships with vocational training structures are encouraged to ensure that skills development reflects real economic opportunities.

Training should be informed by market demand and emerging labour-market requirements.

Cooperatives and Buyers

Cooperatives and buyers can help connect beneficiaries with markets and value chains.

Applicants should demonstrate how such relationships can contribute to sustainable livelihoods, income generation, and long-term economic participation.

Addressing Barriers Faced by Refugees

Proposals should identify and address the specific obstacles faced by refugees in accessing economic opportunities.

These may include barriers to employment, financial services, skills development, markets, or other components of economic participation.

Applicants should base their proposed solutions on evidence from the relevant intervention areas.

Supporting the Socio-Economic Reintegration of Returnees

Returnees may face specific socio-economic challenges when reintegrating into their communities.

Projects should therefore address the socio-economic reintegration needs of returnees in each intervention zone.

The proposed approach should help returnees develop sustainable livelihoods and strengthen their economic resilience as part of broader durable reintegration.

Measuring Economic Outcomes

UNHCR expects partners to measure outcomes that go beyond basic activity outputs.

Monitoring should consider whether interventions actually improve beneficiaries’ economic circumstances.

Relevant economic outcomes include:

• Access to employment.
• Access to self-employment.
• Changes in income.
• Sustainability of economic activities.
• Access to markets.
• Access to financial services.
• Progress toward economic autonomy.
• Reduced dependence on humanitarian assistance.

This outcome-focused approach is intended to demonstrate whether interventions are producing meaningful and sustainable economic change.

Employment and Self-Employment

Projects should track whether beneficiaries gain access to employment or self-employment.

Simply reporting the number of people trained or supported is not sufficient to demonstrate economic impact.

Applicants should establish measurable indicators that show whether beneficiaries successfully transition into sustainable economic activities.

Income Evolution

Changes in beneficiaries’ income should also be monitored.

Tracking income evolution can help demonstrate whether livelihood activities are improving economic resilience and moving participants toward greater self-reliance.

Sustainability of Economic Activities

Partners should assess whether supported economic activities remain viable over time.

Proposals should explain how beneficiaries will continue generating income after direct project support decreases or ends.

Market and Financial Service Access

Improved access to markets and financial services should form part of the programme’s measurable outcomes where relevant.

Applicants should identify indicators that demonstrate whether beneficiaries are increasingly connected to sustainable economic systems.

Reducing Dependence on Humanitarian Aid

A central objective is to help refugees and returnees reduce their dependence on humanitarian assistance.

Projects should therefore demonstrate how economic inclusion, sustainable livelihoods, employment, entrepreneurship, and financial access can contribute to greater economic autonomy.

Sustainability and Exit Strategies

Applicants are expected to incorporate clear sustainability and exit strategies into their proposals.

The programme seeks interventions that can continue generating benefits beyond the period of direct partner support.

Sustainability planning should include:

• Mobilisation of complementary resources.
• Progressive inclusion of refugees in national economic programmes.
• Inclusion of refugees in local economic programmes.
• Durable reintegration support for returnees.
• Strengthening of relevant institutions and organisations.
• Gradual transfer of responsibilities.
• Measurable milestones and indicators.

Mobilising Complementary Resources

Partners should consider how additional resources can be mobilised to support long-term sustainability.

Complementary resources can help reduce reliance on a single intervention or funding source and contribute to continued economic opportunities for beneficiaries.

Integration Into National and Local Economic Programmes

An important part of the sustainability approach is the progressive inclusion of refugees in national and local economic programmes.

This can help ensure that refugees increasingly participate in existing economic systems and public programmes rather than relying exclusively on humanitarian initiatives.

Durable Reintegration of Returnees

Partners should also support approaches that contribute to the durable reintegration of returnees.

Economic opportunities and sustainable livelihoods can provide an important foundation for long-term reintegration and stronger community relationships.

Institutional Capacity Strengthening

The programme encourages partners to strengthen the capacities of competent institutions and organisations.

Building local capacity can help ensure that systems supporting livelihoods and economic inclusion remain functional after external project support is reduced.

Gradual Transfer of Responsibilities

Partners should plan for a gradual transfer of responsibilities to appropriate institutions and organisations.

This process should be supported by measurable milestones and indicators so that progress toward sustainability can be tracked.

Peaceful Coexistence and Social Cohesion

Economic inclusion is closely connected to the programme’s objective of promoting peaceful coexistence.

By creating opportunities for refugees and returnees to participate in local economies alongside host communities, interventions can contribute to stronger social and economic relationships.

Projects should therefore consider how livelihood and economic inclusion activities can contribute to social cohesion in intervention areas.

How to Prepare a Strong Expression of Interest

Applicants should develop proposals based on evidence, market realities, partnerships, and measurable economic outcomes.

A strong proposal should clearly explain:

• The specific economic challenges faced by refugees and returnees.
• The socio-economic context of each intervention area.
• Recent market analysis.
• Relevant value chains.
• Market demand and income potential.
• Barriers to economic and financial access.
• Skills gaps among refugees and returnees.
• Proposed technical, professional, and entrepreneurial skills development.
• Employment and self-employment pathways.
• Access to savings and credit.
• Productive cash-transfer approaches where relevant.
• Private-sector partnerships.
• Employer engagement.
• Financial institution partnerships.
• Vocational training partnerships.
• Cooperative and buyer relationships.
• Relevant public-service partnerships.
• Expected economic outcomes.
• Monitoring indicators and targets.
• Sustainability and exit strategies.
• Complementary resource mobilisation.
• Institutional capacity strengthening.
• Gradual transfer of responsibilities.

Alignment With UNHCR Sectoral Standards

Partners must adhere to applicable sectoral standards as described in UNHCR’s areas of specialization.

Applicants should ensure that proposed activities and implementation approaches are consistent with the relevant standards and technical expectations applicable to the intervention.

Key Facts About the UNHCR Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Call

• Organisation: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
• Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Target groups: Refugees and returnees
• Main focus: Sustainable livelihoods, economic inclusion, self-reliance, and peaceful coexistence
• Long-term target: 2030
• Economic autonomy target: At least 25% of beneficiaries
• Skills focus: Technical, professional, and entrepreneurial skills
• Financial inclusion: Savings, credit, productive cash transfers, and financial systems
• Market approach: Recent and documented market analyses
• Key evidence: Market demand, value chains, access barriers, and income potential
• Partnerships: Private sector, employers, financial institutions, vocational training structures, cooperatives, buyers, and public services
• Economic outcomes: Employment, self-employment, income evolution, sustainability, market access, financial-service access, and reduced aid dependency
• Sustainability: Complementary resources, national and local programme inclusion, institutional strengthening, and exit strategies
• Reintegration: Durable socio-economic reintegration of returnees
• Standards: Applicable UNHCR sectoral standards

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UNHCR livelihoods and economic inclusion initiative in the DRC?

It is a Call for Expression of Interest seeking partners to promote sustainable livelihoods, economic inclusion, self-reliance, and peaceful coexistence for refugees and returnees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Who are the main beneficiaries?

The initiative focuses on refugees and returnees, with activities also contributing to peaceful coexistence with host communities.

What is the programme’s target for 2030?

By 2030, the initiative aims to improve equitable access to sustainable livelihoods and economic resilience, with at least 25% of beneficiaries achieving economic autonomy and significantly reducing their dependence on humanitarian aid.

What types of skills should projects develop?

Projects should strengthen technical, professional, and entrepreneurial skills in line with local and emerging market needs.

Does the programme support entrepreneurship?

Yes. Entrepreneurial skills and economic opportunities that contribute to self-reliance are among the expected areas of intervention.

What financial services are relevant to the initiative?

The programme seeks to improve equitable access to economic and financial systems, including savings, credit, and productive cash transfers.

Must projects be based on market research?

Yes. Interventions should be based on recent and documented market analyses covering areas such as demand, value chains, access barriers, and income potential.

What partnerships are expected?

Applicants should demonstrate concrete partnerships with the private sector, employers, financial institutions, vocational training structures, cooperatives, buyers, and relevant public services.

Should projects address employment?

Yes. Projects should create realistic pathways toward employment or self-employment and measure whether beneficiaries actually gain access to economic opportunities.

How should economic impact be measured?

Monitoring should go beyond activity outputs and assess outcomes such as employment, self-employment, income changes, sustainability of activities, market access, financial-service access, and reduced dependence on humanitarian aid.

Are returnees included in the programme?

Yes. The initiative specifically addresses the socio-economic reintegration needs of returnees and seeks to support their durable reintegration.

What is meant by economic autonomy?

Economic autonomy refers to progress toward the ability of beneficiaries to sustain themselves through viable economic opportunities and reduced dependence on humanitarian assistance.

Why are private-sector partnerships important?

Private-sector and employer partnerships can connect refugees and returnees with actual employment, markets, buyers, value chains, and sustainable economic opportunities.

What should a sustainability strategy include?

Sustainability strategies should consider complementary resource mobilisation, inclusion in national and local economic programmes, durable reintegration of returnees, institutional capacity strengthening, and gradual transfer of responsibilities.

Is an exit strategy required?

Applicants are expected to plan for sustainability and exit, including measurable milestones and indicators for the gradual transfer of responsibilities.

Should refugees be integrated into existing economic programmes?

Yes. The initiative encourages the progressive inclusion of refugees in national and local economic programmes.

Does the programme focus on peaceful coexistence?

Yes. Economic inclusion and sustainable livelihoods are intended to contribute to self-reliance, durable reintegration, and peaceful coexistence with host communities.

Must partners follow UNHCR standards?

Yes. Partners must adhere to applicable sectoral standards described within UNHCR’s areas of specialization.

Conclusion

The UNHCR Call for Expression of Interest on Sustainable Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo seeks partners capable of creating meaningful economic pathways for refugees and returnees.

The initiative goes beyond short-term livelihood assistance by focusing on skills development, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, employment, market access, economic resilience, self-reliance, and durable reintegration.

A major objective is to ensure that at least 25% of beneficiaries achieve economic autonomy by 2030, while reducing dependence on humanitarian aid.

Successful proposals should be grounded in recent market evidence, demonstrate strong partnerships across the private, financial, vocational, cooperative, and public sectors, and measure real economic outcomes rather than simply counting activities.

Long-term sustainability will also be essential. Applicants should demonstrate how refugees can progressively access national and local economic programmes, how returnees can achieve durable socio-economic reintegration, and how responsibilities can gradually be transferred to competent institutions and organisations.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.