Expenditures executed under emergency procedure by the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reached a record level in the third quarter of 2023. According to a report from the Ministry of Finance, these expenses reached 1,485.96 billion of Congolese Francs, or approximately $594 million. This significant increase compared to previous quarters raises questions about transparency and the management of public funds.
The report highlights two main categories of expenditure executed under emergency procedure: security expenditure and investment expenditure from own resources. Security spending represents approximately 81% of the total amount spent in the third quarter, or approximately 498.51 billion CDF. As for investment expenditure from own resources, they represent approximately 23% of the total amount of investments over this period, or approximately 1,076.47 billion CDF.
It is important to emphasize that expenditures carried out under emergency procedures are not encouraged by international financial institutions due to the lack of transparency they engender. This raises concerns about how this spending is justified and controlled.
The report also raises questions about compliance with the targets set under the ECF (Extended Credit Facility) Program with an indicative target of 10% by the end of 2023. It is therefore essential to put in place more rigorous transparency and supervision mechanisms to ensure sound and responsible public expenditure management.
In conclusion, the increase in expenditure carried out under emergency procedures in the DRC raises concerns about the transparency and management of public funds. It is imperative to establish stricter control and supervision mechanisms to ensure judicious and responsible use of state financial resources.