DR Congo: AfDB President Adesina supports infrastructure projects

African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina in his two-day visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo concluded with high-level discussions on advancing strategic development projects in the country.

During the visit, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina engaged in a breakfast meeting with key cabinet ministers, including Aimé Boji Sangara (Minister of State in charge of Budget), Julien Palulu (Minister of Industry), José Mpanda (Minister of Agriculture), and Olivier Mwenze (Minister of Water Resources and Energy).

Officials presented sector-specific strategic plans during the meeting, expressing a strong desire for close collaboration with the pan-African development institution.

Adesina commended these strategic priorities and recalled DRC flagship ventures like INGA hydropower and the Kinshasa-Brazzaville bridge. He reiterated the Bank Group’s commitment to effectively support government efforts on agriculture transformation, regional integration and other vital areas for rapidly improving Congolese lives.

Adesina also met with President Tshisekedi on January 21st for a bilateral discussion on bank support for the government’s priorities and other issues. 

The previous day, Adesina joined over 20 heads of state and other prominent dignitaries at the “Stade des Martyrs” Stadium in the capital city, Kinshasa for the official swearing-in ceremony of President Tshisekedi’s second term in office. 

As of September 30, 2023, the African Development Bank’s active portfolio in the Democratic Republic of Congo consists of 27 operations valued at approximately $1.458 billion. The portfolio is predominantly allocated to the transport and ICT sectors (37%), energy (19%), water and sanitation (16%), and agriculture (18%). Governance, finance, and social sectors each account for 2% of the portfolio.

source: afdb