UNIDO ready to support Congolese industrialization

Kinshasa, March 24th, 2021 (CPA).-The Regional Director of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Central and West Africa, the Congolese Jean Bakole arrived in Kinshasa on Monday from Abuja in Nigeria for discuss with the Congolese authorities, in particular on the establishment of a “robust” industrialization plan for the DRC. Mr. Bakole told the CPA, when he got off the plane at Ndjili international airport, that he was invited by the country’s authorities who need internal and external expertise from his daughters and sons to execute this plan which UNIDO, through its country director in the DRC, Thomas Maketa, is developing. This plan, according to him, aims to change the current economic paradigms which will have to move from an import economy to a production economy. It is also about offering young people opportunities to create new concepts such as those relating in particular to digitizationand artificial intelligence for the creation of jobs and wealth. To this end, it will be necessary to develop attractive investment and trade strategies, in order to create a strong, competitive economy at continental and global level. He also mentioned the threat weighing on the DRC in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as its impact on economies and the need to put in place a plan to manage this global crisis. In addition, Mr. Bakole indicated that the disciplines will also relate to the presidency of the DRC at the head of the AU around potilitic, economic, social and geostrategic questions. In this regard, the establishment of the continental free trade zone (CFTA), which could lead to unfair competition between states, will also be discussed with the authorities, he continued, concluding that the DRC should thus be prepare by implementing an industrialization policy in a dynamic of diversification of the economy.