Ituri province has been rocked by armed violence for some time. Faced with this situation, economic operators in the region have requested the help of the Minister of Industry Julien Paluku Kahongya so that the industry can contribute to the pacification of the province. In response, Julien Paluku mentioned the creation of Special Economic Zones in the region, to create jobs and offer an alternative to young people who were recruited by negative forces.
Representatives of economic operators also met the Ministers of the Interior, Security and Customary Affairs, as well as that of Defense to discuss means of imposing peace in the region.
This initiative by the Ministry of Industry has received praise from Reagan Kambale Katsumbano, who hailed the government’s commitment to promoting the creation of processing units in the east of the country. He stressed the importance of peace in the economic development of the region.
It is encouraging to see that the Congolese government is committed to using the industry as a lever to bring peace to areas affected by armed violence. The creation of Special Economic Zones can be an effective way to create jobs and offer alternatives to young people who are often forcibly recruited by armed groups. We hope that these initiatives will help to pacify Ituri and promote the economic development of the region.