Kinshasa, April 9th, 2025(CPA) – The delegation from the Democratic Republic of the Congo led by the Prime Minister to Abu Dhabi on Wednesday’s second day of the meeting was committed to building solid, transparent and mutually beneficial partnerships, CPA learned from an official source on the same day. “This second day is an opportunity to present to you a portfolio of concrete projects supported by our ministerial delegation and all the companies present. These initiatives are part of our desire to build solid, transparent and mutually beneficial partnerships. So please don’t miss the opportunity to come and invest in the Congo, I thank you”, declared Prime Minister Judith Suminwa. After outlining the concrete opportunities available to you in the DRC, and drawing on its geostrategic position at the heart of Africa and its membership of several regional economic communities, Judith Suminwa pointed out that the DRC is a gateway to a market of over 250 million inhabitants. “In fact, the DRC alone has a population of 120 million, making it 120 million consumers, not counting the population of 9 neighboring countries”, she stressed. She informed investors that the country is rich in natural resources, and is today more than ever a key player in sustainable development and energy transition, under the leadership of the President of the Republic, Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo.
Ms. Judith pointed out that the government is placing the improvement of the business environment at the heart of its development policy, and that the country is moving resolutely towards economic diversification and the creation of an environment conducive to private investment.
An investment conference to be held in Kinshasa in the second half of the year
For his part, Mr. Guylain Nyembo, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of planning, announced that an investment conference would soon be held in Kinshasa to present strategic investment opportunities in the DRC to investors and financial backers, in particular market dynamics and fast-growing sectors. “In the second half of this year, the Ministry of Planning and Development Aid Coordination will be organizing an investor and donor conference in Kinshasa to present strategic investment opportunities in the DRC, including market dynamics and growth sectors,” he said. These sectors include transport, technology and digital innovation, road infrastructure, mining, tourism, industry and agriculture. The event is expected to attract investors, financial backers and development partners from all horizons, with whom the Congolese government will be working in concert. It is with the latter, he said, that the government will negotiate and define the conceptual, legal and financial framework for collaboration and intervention.
Gylain Nyembo added that memorandums of understanding would be signed to define the future conclusions of beneficial partnerships. For her part, Rachel Pungu, Managing Director of the National Investment Promotion Agency (ANAPI), presented the DRC to the Emiratis as a land of investment opportunities.
“We also mentioned the richness of its subsoil, with strategic minerals useful for modern technologies and the energy transition, as well as many other potentialities, including energy, new information technologies, agriculture and tourism, but also infrastructure and the industrial sector”, he emphasized.
Investment needs in the DRC estimated at 94 billion USD
In his presentation, Mr. Firmin Lotambo, General Manager of the DRC’s public-private partnership (PPP) project portfolio, indicated that the DRC’s investment needs are estimated at 94 billion USD. “The needs of the DRC as part of its national strategic development plan are estimated at nearly 94 billion US dollars”, he maintained. According to him, the government’s capacity to mobilize these funds is estimated at 54%, so there is a 46% financing gap that needs to be filled, said Firmin Lotambo, who called on Emirati investors to seize this opportunity to invest in the DRC within the PPP framework.