Improving the portfolio in DRC: the AfDB strengthens its strategic cooperation

Kinshasa, November 20^th, 2025 (CPA) – The African Development Bank (AfDB), through its Deputy General Director, has announced at the closing of the portfolio performance review workshop in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, on Thursday that it will  strengthen its strategic cooperation and support the 2026 improvement plan to enhance it. ‘The AfDB is strengthening its strategic cooperation and supporting the 2026 improvement plan in DRC by focusing on strengthening infrastructure, access to social services, private sector development and improving project governance,’ has declared Mohamed Cherif, Deputy Director of the African Development Bank. By 2026, he has said, projects that are less than 20% funded will reach 50% by June 2026. The aim of its actions is to accelerate projects, optimise performance and ensure a greater impact of investments, particularly in key sectors such as energy, transport and health, while strengthening the capacities of project managers. Mr Yves Makanda, coordinator of the project and programme monitoring unit (CSPP), has praised the quality of the training provided and called on those responsible for the sectors concerned to be made aware of this cooperation.  ‘I call for awareness of this project in order to analyse problems in depth and improve the living conditions of the Congolese population,’ he has maintained. Highlighting the crucial importance of training for the success of AfDB-funded projects, the workshop participants, who were visibly satisfied, were committed to capitalising on the knowledge they had acquired. This enhanced collaboration between the AfDB and DRC could serve as a model for other countries in the region. He has explained that the systematisation of training and rigorous monitoring of funded projects could effectively transform the quality of development programme implementation in Central Africa. This portfolio review aimed to evaluate operations, highlight challenges and propose actions to clean up the portfolio, it is emphasised.