DR Congo aims for economic growth

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has announced measures to change the country's narrative, from poverty, conflicts and diseases, to a developing economy and favorable investment destination.

Speaking during the recently concluded Makutano Forum, held in the country's capital Kinshasa on Sept 6-7, Félix Tshisekedi, president of DR Congo expressed confidence and passion to set the country on a trajectory of growth.

Tshisekedi, who took office in January 2019 after winning the Dec 30, 2018 election and marking the country's first transfer of power through ballot box, is faced with the challenges of addressing political instability, improving governance and growing the economy. He announced his new government in August.

"My 100-day program is the beginning of a vast national development plan to make the DR Congo play its role in the African integration process," he said.

The president said that DR Congo has potential and promising prospects that can transform the country into one of the richest economies in Africa. Toward that end, he said they will diversify the economy to leverage agriculture among other sectors.

He said despite the country having 80 million hectares of arable land and 40 million hectares of irrigable land, it imports 90 percent of its basic consumer goods.

The president called on the youth, of whom most have migrated to urban centers, to invest in agriculture, saying his government will improve living conditions in rural areas through the creation of agribusiness zones and construction of basic infrastructure.

"The DR Congo population is expected to hit 200 million by 2050, out of which over 60 percent will be below 25 years old. This is a real lever for development, but it can become a major risk if we don't make the right decisions today. Currently nearly 40 percent of the Congolese population lives in cities and this figure may exceed 50 percent by 2050," Tshisekedi said.

Dr. Cheikh Kante, the minister in charge of the emerging Senegal Plan, lauded the president's call for youth to go into agribusiness, saying it's one of the initiatives that enabled his country to achieve food security.

"In just five years, Senegal created 196 farms. DR Congo has a huge agricultural potential and can be Africa's bread basket. Unfortunately the country has for long concentrated on the mining sector in the expense of the other sectors. DR Congo is a giant that President Tshisekedi should awaken by developing other sectors," he said.

President Tshisekedi said the country was already awakened. "DR Congo has for long been termed as a giant with clay feet, However the country is now standing and ready to move forward," he said.

Tshisekedi said they are also focusing on developing the energy sector, which is a priority for industrialization.