Kinshasa, October 12th, 2026 (CPA): – The development of local value chains constitutes a lever for job and wealth creation in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), within the framework of the strategic partnership agreement between the United States and DRC, an economics expert has indicated during an interview on Monday. “The development of local value chains constitutes a lever for job and wealth creation in DRC. It consists of structuring and strengthening all stages, from production to processing and marketing, within a region or country, in order to retain as much wealth as possible there,” Patrick O. Tambwe, an economics expert and professor at the University of Kinshasa has declared.
This approach aims, in particular, to encourage the creation of decent jobs, to promote the local processing of raw materials, particularly minerals and agricultural products, and to reduce the national economy’s dependence on fluctuations in international markets, he has said. It also seeks to strengthen regional integration through continental mechanisms, notably the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), by facilitating trade, the harmonisation of standards and payments in local currencies.
In the critical minerals sector, the development of local value chains could contribute to wealth creation at national level and the emergence of Congolese entrepreneurs, in line with the vision of the President of the Republic, Felix Tshisekedi, which aims to ‘create Congolese millionaires’. This reflection marks the first episode of a series devoted to examine the key expressions contained in the strategic partnership agreement between the United States and DRC.