Congolese government spending saw a significant drop in the first quarter of the year 2023 compared to the last quarter of the year 2022. According to a report published by the Minister of Finance, the total expenditure amounted to 4,095.18 billion Congolese francs (CDF) against 6,644.34 billion CDF previously.
This decrease represents a drop of CDF 2,549.16 billion between the two periods. The report also indicates that expenditure executed under emergency procedure was CDF 483.5 billion in the first quarter of 2023, compared to CDF 768.95 billion in the same period of the previous year, a decrease of 59%. .
The report divides these expenditures into three months, with CDF 1,660.58 billion in January, CDF 1,053.55 billion in February and CDF 1,381.04 billion in March 2023.
These figures highlight the Congolese government’s desire to control its expenditure and reduce expenditure carried out under emergency procedures. The objective set during the assessment of the fourth review of the ECF program in June 2023 was to limit these expenditures to 10% of total government expenditure.
This drop in spending can be interpreted as an austerity measure put in place by the Congolese government to deal with various economic and budgetary issues. However, it should be noted that this reduction could have implications for certain government sectors and programs.
Overall, this decrease in government spending in the first quarter of 2023 is a sign of the Congolese government’s desire to better control its finances and face economic challenges. It remains to be seen how this trend will develop in the coming quarters and what the consequences will be for the Congolese economy