Kolwezi, May 15th, 2025 (CPA) – The sixth edition of the economic forum Katanga Business Meeting (KBM), under the theme ‘Building our future’, was opened on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Lualaba Provincial Assembly, in the south-west of the Democratic Republic of Congo, by Prime Minister Judith Suminwa. ‘The theme is not only a call to collective responsibility, but above all a signal of confidence in our ability to develop our country. It reflects the government’s strong ambition to build a resilient, inclusive, green Congolese economy driven by the local transformation of our resources and by innovation’, emphasized the head of government.
She added: ‘The future we want is one in which every Congolese finds his or her place in the dynamics of our development, where economic growth translates into concrete opportunities, quality employment, modern infrastructure and, above all, national pride’. Mrs. Judith Suminwa reassured the audience that, despite the wars, the resilient DRC has today demonstrated that it is ready to forge ahead towards its future and its development. For the Head of Government, the guest of honor at Katanga Business Meeting 2025, the theme chosen by the organizers of this event is not only a call to collective responsibility, but above all a signal of awareness of the capacity of the Congolese people to develop the DRC. It reflects, she said, the government’s strong ambition to build a resilient, inclusive, green and industrialized Congolese economy, driven by the local transformation of the Congo’s resources and by innovation. ‘This future that we want is one in which every Congolese man and woman finds his or her place in the dynamics of our development, where economic growth translates into concrete opportunities, quality jobs, modern infrastructures and pride, and above all national pride’, the Prime Minister emphasized. Roxane De Bilderling, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the DRC, emphasized that the theme chosen this year is essential, because it is urgent to take action and offer the Congolese people in general, and Congolese youth in particular, a better future.
The Lobito Corridor, a major stake in the economic growth of the DRC
A view of the podium at this event
In his speech, Fifi Masuka, Governor of Lualaba Province, called for attractive and sovereign governance of the Lobito Corridor (a railway line project linking Zambia to the Atlantic via the DRC and Angola), so that it serves the DRC’s development interests first and foremost. The program for this sixth edition of KBM includes company exhibitions and panels led by experts in various sectors of activity, political and administrative authorities and business leaders. Katanga Business Meeting, it was noted, is a strategic economic forum, revealing local solutions and accelerating concrete actions for the economic development of the DRC. It was created in 2014.