Kinshasa, February 2nd, 2026 (ACP) – The industrialization of the Democratic Republic of Congo is not a slogan, it is a political, economic and historical choice made by the government under the leadership of the Head of State, said the CEO of a public company at the launch of the DRC-South Africa economic forum in Kinshasa on Monday. « The industrialization of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is not a slogan, it is a political, economic and historical choice. Our country, through the President of the Republic, has made its choice, and the government, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, has committed to the same direction. The Industry Promotion Fund has resolutely mobilized itself for this same national cause, » said Mr Ntumba Batukonke Hervé-Claude, Director General of the Industry Promotion Fund (FPI). He pointed out that, with South Africa, public companies have a strong partner to embark on this march towards industrialization in the DRC. ‘The country needs partners who invest for the long term, and South Africa has companies capable of setting up, producing, training and creating,’ he said, before emphasizing that the FPI is playing its full role in the financing project and also in attracting and supporting investors. The FPI’s Director General also reminded participants that this economic forum is not an isolated or routine event, but part of a dynamic of bilateral relations that are set to strengthen between the two countries.
At the end of this economic week, the FPI wants not only intentions but rather identified structural projects, formalized partnerships and clear roadmaps for better implementation in the future, he warned. To this end, he called on everyone to contribute so that this economic mission marks the beginning of a new phase of ambitious, concrete and sustainable African industrial cooperation. CEO Ntumba reassured every one of the FPI’s full support in transforming the opportunities of this economic forum into tangible achievements.
FPI looks to the future
On this occasion, the Managing Director of FPI mentioned that his company is now entering a new era with an opening towards external horizons, in win-win technical, financial and industrial partnerships. To this end, he now has a three-year plan for 2026-2028, which marks a decisive turning point. This plan, said Mr Ntumba, is based on several major areas, including industrialization focused on value chains, prioritizing high-impact sectors such as agribusiness, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, public-private partnerships, mining and energy.
In the same vein, the Director General said, the FPI is firmly committed to a profound transformation and is becoming and will remain a technical instrument, a lever for development and a credible partner for genuine investors. This week-long conference was co-organized by the Industry Promotion Fund and the South African Department of Trade, Industry and Competitiveness, in collaboration with the Federation of Enterprises of Congo and the National Agency for the Promotion of Investments (Anapi) around the theme: ‘Explore, identify and invest’. This economic week is intended to be a strategic platform for transforming opportunities into structural projects. The conference illustrates the strength of the partnership between the two countries and their shared ambition to transform opportunities into concrete investments.
During the sessions, public and private actors came together with a specific objective: to strengthen economic cooperation, promote industrialization and facilitate mutually beneficial business partnerships between the two states.