Kinshasa, April 16th, 2026 (CPA).- A renewal of the strategic partnership with the World Bank has been requested in Washington on Wednesday by the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, during a working session with the Vice-President for Eastern and Southern Africa, according to a press release consulted on Thursday by CPA. “From the outset of the discussions, the Prime Minister has pleaded for a renewal of the strategic partnership with the World Bank, emphasising on the need to further align the partners’ interventions on the national priorities”, it is read. “Our objective is clear: to capitalise on the progress already achieved and accelerate the implementation of infrastructure projects,” has declared Judith Suminwa, quoted in the statement. The Head of Government has also emphasised on the importance of the mobilisation of resources from investors, in order to support the country’s ambitions for economic transformation.
The discussions have highlighted in particular the strategic role of the Lobito corridor, considered a major driver of regional integration and economic opening up. In this context, the Minister in charge of Infrastructure and Public Works has emphasised that “the Lobito corridor must not be considered in an isolated manner, but integrated into a global vision including the internal corridors, the road network, the waterways and the air transport”.
The budget support at the heart of discussions with the World Bank
View of the Congolese delegation with World Bank experts
a particular attention has been paid to the budget support programme, notably the development operations (DPOs), which support the structural reforms engaged by the Government. Regarding the first phase of the programme (DPO 1), significant progress have been made, although two major reforms remain to be finalised, notably the declaration of assets by public officials and the establishment of a competitive recruitment process of representatives of public enterprises. In this regard, the Government has indicated that the regulatory framework is now in place, with a consultancy firm already selected to support the process.
“As for the second phase (DPO 2), several improvements have been realized, notably with the establishment of the cash flow management committee and the adoption of the law relating to the Inga project. However, other structural reforms are still underway, particularly in the areas of public procurement, the fight against corruption, special economic zones and the governance of public enterprises,” the source indicates.
A reinforced coordination effort to maximise the impact of reforms
The World Bank Vice-President Dr Diame Diop has praised the efforts made by the Congolese Government and has emphasised on the importance of a reinforced coordination effort to maximise the impact of interventions. “It is essential to avoid the fragmentation of support and to strengthen government coordination in order to accelerate the implementation of reforms,” he has emphasised. According to the statement, the discussions have also enabled to reaffirm the parties’ commitment to pursue the critical reforms, particularly in the areas of transparency, governance and public resource management, with clearly defined objectives in the horizon of 2027.
The Prime Minister has also held talks with Harold Tavares, Executive Director for Africa II on the World Bank Group’s Board of Directors. This meeting has enabled the parties to discuss shared priorities regarding cooperation and support for the reforms undertaken by the Suminwa Government. Alongside the Head of Government, the meeting was attended by the Minister in charge of Finance, the Minister in charge of Portfolio, the Minister in charge of Infrastructure and Public Works, the Minister in charge of Foreign Trade, and the Deputy Minister in charge of the Budget, accompanied by several experts and sectorial directors.