Kinshasa, March 22nd, 2026 (CPA) – The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been urged to make water a lever for equality and development by the Ministerin charge of Environment, Sustainable Development and the New Climate Economy, during a speech delivered Sunday on the occasion of World Water Day. “The Congo River, the second largest in the world by discharge, runs through our territory like a vital artery, nourishing ecosystems of exceptional richness. Our lakes, rivers, wetlands and groundwater constitute a considerable water heritage, making the DRC one of the main freshwater reservoirs on the African continent. But this abundance, while an asset, is not an end in itself. True wealth lies not only in the availability of the resource, but in our ability to transform it into well-being, equity and development for all,” said Minister Marie Nyange.
According to the source, water has become a strategic resource at the heart of global balances, supporting agriculture, industry and public health systems. “Water is in fact the invisible foundation upon which all value chains rest. No economy can develop sustainably without water security,” she added. Despite this potential, the minister warned of the threats facing this resource, including climate change disrupting rainfall patterns, pollution, population growth, and unsustainable practices. “This vital resource is now under unprecedented pressure. Climate change is disrupting hydrological regimes. Pollution is degrading water quality. Population growth is increasing demand, and unsustainable practices are undermining ecological balances. Faced with these challenges, a fundamental question arises,” she continued. Celebrated under the theme “Water, a source of equality,” World Water Day is, according to the minister, an opportunity for the DRC to assess its collective capacity to ensure fair and sustainable access to this resource. Where water is accessible, life is organized and economies thrive; where it is lacking, inequalities deepen.