Fatshimetrie, September 18, 2024 edition – The Congolese government, gathered at a meeting in Kinshasa, recently expressed its willingness to seize a significant share of the $50 billion Chinese financing intended for African countries. This strategic decision aims to position the Democratic Republic of Congo as a major beneficiary of these funds, with an initial target of between 30% and 50%.
Julien Paluku, Minister of Foreign Trade, underlined the crucial importance of this initiative to respond to the vision of the Congolese president, aiming to raise the country among the main actors benefiting from Chinese investments. This project aims to guarantee a substantial share of this financing to carry out large-scale projects in partnership with China.
The meeting was also marked by the announcement by Jean-Pierre Bemba, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Transport, of the creation of a technical committee dedicated to the evaluation of the planned projects. This committee will be tasked with identifying priority projects, assessing their feasibility and determining those for which preliminary studies have already been carried out.
In addition, the Task Force set up brings together different sectoral ministries to examine potential projects in detail, identifying those for which studies are necessary and assessing the country’s capacity to absorb this funding. This initiative aims to strengthen the coherence and relevance of investments to be made to promote sustainable development and connectivity in Africa.
The meeting was chaired by Jean-Pierre Bemba and brought together key figures such as Julien Paluku, Augustin Kibassa, Alexis Gisaro, and Mohindo Nzangi, all involved in defining priorities and actions to be taken to fully benefit from the opportunities offered by the Sino-Congolese partnership.
This approach is part of the Congolese government’s stated desire to strengthen its capacity to absorb large-scale funding and promote structuring projects for the country’s economic and social development. The momentum generated during this meeting reflects a collective ambition to position the Democratic Republic of Congo as a major player in economic exchanges and international partnerships, thus offering new prospects for growth and development for the future.
In conclusion, the strategic vision of the Congolese government, expressed during this Task Force meeting, illustrates a proactive approach aimed at taking full advantage of the opportunities offered by Chinese financing, with the aim of promoting harmonious and sustainable development within the country.