The Path from Potential to Progress: Essential Counter-Narratives to the DRC’s Ambitious Development Agenda

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The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) currently stands at a critical juncture, facing persistent security challenges in the East while simultaneously unveiling an ambitious, transformative DRC development agenda. President Tshisekedi’s recent State of the Nation address serves as a strategic roadmap, asserting the nation’s refusal to be defined by conflict and declaring its intent to pivot from a land of mere potential to one of undeniable progress.

At the heart of this comprehensive vision lies a bold economic overhaul centred on Green Minerals—specifically Cobalt and Lithium. The core goal is achieving Local Value Addition, fundamentally transforming the DRC from a raw mineral exporter into a key global industrial partner by processing resources domestically. This economic push is buttressed by a massive infrastructure investment, notably the development of the Grand Inga Dam Project, aimed at providing the reliable, clean power essential for industrialisation.

However, the success of this plan hinges on overcoming monumental governance challenges. A committed Zero Tolerance on Corruption policy and crucial judicial reform are central to establishing the Rule of Law and ensuring the vast mineral wealth funds vital social commitments, including Free Primary Education and a revitalised National Healthcare System.

Critically, the DRC’s stability is now explicitly framed as a geopolitical undertaking, inextricably linked to global climate and economic security. While the presidential rhetoric is powerful, a necessary Essential Counter-Narrative acknowledges the persistent gap between intent and implementation, particularly concerning the slow pace of FARDC reform and the fight against deeply entrenched illicit finance. This in-depth analysis explores the strategic necessity of turning these national promises into a tangible reality for every Congolese citizen.

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KINSHASA, DR Congo – The political machinery of the Democratic Republic of Congo paused this December 2025, turning its full attention to the majestic Palais du Peuple in Kinshasa. The occasion was the annual State of the Nation Address by His Excellency, President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, a constitutional duty that serves as the nation’s most comprehensive annual review.

The grand Congress Hall was filled to capacity for the joint plenary session of the Parliament, bringing together both the honourable Deputies of the National Assembly and the Senators. Presiding over the solemn gathering was Jean-Michel Samaloude, in his capacity as President of the Senate and the Congress. The sense of national gravity was underscored by the distinguished guest list, which included members of constitutional bodies, a notable presence of Provincial Governors from all 26 provinces, their corresponding Provincial Assembly Presidents, and the accredited diplomatic corps.

The Constitutional Mandate

As legal analysts confirmed before the address, the event is mandated by the DRC’s Constitution, specifically Article 77, which requires the Head of State to deliver this yearly accounting. It represents a vital stocktaking exercise—a national bilan, or report card—on the government’s performance over the preceding year.

The scope of the address is broad, encompassing every sector of national life. Observers anticipated deep dives into internal policy, the state of the fragile economy, infrastructure projects, and social development. However, one issue universally dominates the national dialogue and the President’s agenda: security.

Priority of Priorities: The East

Following months of sustained conflict, particularly in the volatile eastern provinces, security was firmly branded the “priority of priorities.” The public was keen to hear definitive updates on efforts to restore peace, especially in conflict flashpoints like Goma, Kanyabayonga, and Rutshuru. Mention was also expected regarding diplomatic successes, such as a recent framework agreement, hinted at as being signed in Washington, aiming to secure stability. The President’s speech serves not only to review 2025’s achievements, but also to lay out the critical perspectives and targets for the year ahead.

The highly ceremonial nature of the day was highlighted by the meticulous 12-step protocol that was read aloud to the Congress—detailing everything from the official opening of the session to its mandatory suspension for the reception of the President, and the subsequent performance of the national anthem by the Republican Guard’s fanfare.

Crucially, the Constitution dictates that this address is received without a subsequent parliamentary debate. The role of the assembled parliamentarians is limited to listening, marking a moment of executive accountability directly to the representatives of the Congolese people.

As the President of the Congress announced the suspension of the plenary session to formally receive the Head of State, the stage was set for a speech that will undoubtedly shape the political narrative and national priorities for 2026, offering the citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo a crucial moment of review and renewed hope for stability and prosperity.

The Great Pause: Charting a Course for the Democratic Republic of Congo

The vast, pulsing heart of Central Africa pauses. In Kinshasa, inside the magnificent Palais du Peuple, a moment of profound national gravity settles over the assembly. This is the stage for the annual State of the Nation address—a pivotal moment where President Félix Tshisekedi stands before the two chambers of Parliament, not merely to report, but to recalibrate the collective conscience of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Far more than a ceremonial pronouncement, this speech is a blueprint for national resilience and future ambition, setting the trajectory for a nation determined to realise its extraordinary potential.

For a diverse global audience, the DRC often conjures images of immense mineral wealth, yet simultaneously, immense geopolitical and humanitarian challenges. This address cuts through the noise, offering an official declaration of where the nation stands and, crucially, where it intends to go. It is a dialogue between the governed and the government, framed by the backdrop of one of the world’s most strategically vital and resource-rich territories. This article will explore 20 critical facets of this declaration, delving into the commitments, the challenges, and the essential path forward for the DRC.

A Nation’s Pledge: Twenty Pillars of Progress

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The President’s address provides a comprehensive look at the five key areas shaping the DRC’s future: Security, Economic Sovereignty, Infrastructure, Social Programmes, and Governance.

Section I: Security and Stability – The Eastern Imperative

1.The Gravity of the Eastern Security Crisis

The point regarding The Gravity of the Eastern Security Crisis stands as the crucial foundation for almost all subsequent government pledges. When President Tshisekedi addresses Parliament, the stark reality of the ongoing conflict in the East—specifically in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri—is the heaviest subject on the national agenda.

The gravity of this situation can be explained through three interconnected lenses: the profound human cost, the economic disruption, and the enduring geopolitical entanglement.

1. The Human Catastrophe

The core of the crisis is the unimaginable scale of human suffering. The Government’s unequivocal condemnation of the M23 and other armed groups, such as the ADF (Allied Democratic Forces), is directly tied to their brutal impact on civilian populations. This is not just intermittent violence; it is a sprawling, sustained humanitarian emergency.

The conflict has resulted in one of the world’s largest internal displacement crises. Millions of Congolese have been forced from their homes, seeking refuge in sprawling, precarious camps often situated just outside major cities like Goma. These internally displaced persons (IDPs) face continuous threats of malnutrition, disease, and further violence. The militia groups are notorious for systematic abuses, including the targeting of civilians, widespread sexual violence used as a weapon of war, and the forced recruitment of child soldiers. The address serves as a solemn recognition that the state’s primary duty—to protect its citizens—is being severely undermined in this region.

2. Economic and Resource Paralysis

Eastern DRC, while rich in agricultural potential, is most renowned for its vast deposits of ‘green minerals’—tin, tungsten, tantalum, and gold (the 3Ts and G). The conflict is intimately linked to the illicit exploitation of these resources. Armed groups, often supported by external actors or transnational networks, derive immense revenue from controlling mining sites and trade routes.

This mineral-linked conflict creates two devastating economic effects:

• State Revenue Loss: The majority of this wealth bypasses the central government in Kinshasa, starving the state of the legitimate funds needed for infrastructure (Point 12) and social programmes (Points 13 & 14).

• Destruction of Livelihoods: Fighting consistently disrupts farming cycles, essential trade, and local economies, ensuring that poverty remains endemic even in resource-rich areas.

3. Geopolitical Tensions and Regional Spillover

The Eastern crisis is less a purely internal affair and more a complex, regional entanglement. The condemnation of M23 and other groups is often accompanied by the implicit, and sometimes explicit, accusation that neighbouring states provide support, personnel, or logistics to these forces.

The need for Diplomatic Regional De-escalation (Point 3) is a direct consequence of this cross-border dynamic. The violence in the East acts as a destabilising force across Central Africa, creating refugee flows and strained diplomatic relations. The President’s address is therefore a crucial signal to both the domestic population and the international community that Kinshasa views the crisis as a matter of national sovereignty being challenged by external interference, thus demanding coordinated regional and global attention.

In this struggle against entrenched militia power and external influence, the wisdom of the old adage rings true: “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” The East remains the weakest link in the DRC’s geopolitical and security chain. Until the fundamental issues of resource control and border security are definitively resolved, the ambitious plans for economic diversification, infrastructure development, and good governance detailed in the rest of the address will remain perpetually vulnerable to collapse. The State of the Nation address, by putting this crisis at the forefront, signifies a necessary prioritisation of peace before widespread prosperity can take root.

2. Strengthening the FARDC:

That is a vital point for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The pledge to strengthen the Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo (FARDC) is not just a military goal; it is a foundational pillar for political stability, economic potential, and national confidence.

Here is a comprehensive explanation of this central commitment, framed in British English and the Congolese context.

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The Imperative of a Professional FARDC

The commitment to the comprehensive modernisation and professionalisation of the FARDC directly addresses the historical vulnerabilities exposed by the Eastern Security Crisis. For decades, the national army has faced systemic challenges—underfunding, a lack of cohesive command structure, poor logistics, and allegations of indiscipline—all of which have undermined its ability to secure the nation’s vast territory and protect its citizens from both internal and external threats.

The President’s pledge seeks to transform the FARDC from a perpetually under-equipped force, often criticised for reactive operations, into a respected, well-governed, and effective national security apparatus.

1. Modernisation: Beyond Just New Equipment

Modernisation involves more than merely acquiring new weaponry, though equipment is certainly part of the investment. It encompasses:

• Logistical Capacity: Crucial investment in transport infrastructure, maintenance facilities, and supply chain management. In a country the size of Western Europe, the ability to deploy and sustain troops effectively across vast distances and challenging terrains—particularly in the remote, forested areas of the East—is paramount.

• Technological Integration: Adopting modern command-and-control systems, intelligence gathering capabilities, and secure communication networks to ensure coordinated operations across different military sectors.

• Infrastructure: Building and rehabilitating military bases and training centres to provide adequate living and operational conditions, thereby boosting morale and facilitating year-round training.

2. Professionalisation: Training, Discipline, and Rights

The professionalisation aspect is arguably more critical than the equipment. It directly tackles the issues of discipline and civilian relations, which are essential for winning the trust of the local populations in areas like North Kivu and Ituri.

• Rigorous Training Programmes: Implementing standardised, high-quality training aligned with international best practices. This includes specialised training in counter-insurgency warfare, urban combat, and, crucially, adherence to the laws of armed conflict.

• Improved Troop Welfare: The pledge to enhance troop welfare is vital. Historically, low pay and poor living conditions have been major drivers of corruption and opportunistic behaviour by soldiers. By ensuring fair wages, healthcare, and housing for service personnel and their families, the government aims to reduce the temptation for soldiers to engage in illicit activities or predatory behaviour.

• Accountability and Justice: Professionalisation must be cemented by robust mechanisms for accountability. This includes military justice reform to ensure that soldiers implicated in human rights abuses—a serious and recurrent issue—are swiftly and transparently prosecuted. This restores the FARDC’s credibility both domestically and internationally.

3. FARDC as a Foundation for Economic Growth

The link between security and the economy is absolute in the DRC. The instability caused by armed groups directly prevents key economic activities:

• Mining Sector Security: A professional, disciplined FARDC is essential to secure legitimate mining concessions (Point 7), preventing militia infiltration and ensuring that mineral wealth flows into state coffers rather than illegal networks.

• Infrastructure Protection: Modernised forces are needed to guard major infrastructure projects, such as the rehabilitation of transport corridors (Point 12) and the construction of the Grand Inga Dam (Point 11). Without reliable security, contractors cannot operate, and investment is deterred.

In essence, strengthening the FARDC is viewed as the necessary down payment on all future development. If the army is weak, the state is weak, and the country remains vulnerable. This situation is perfectly encapsulated by the adage: “You cannot build a house without solid foundations.” The security sector, embodied by the FARDC, is the foundation upon which the entire edifice of a stable, prosperous Democratic Republic of Congo must be built. Without a professional, capable army to secure its sovereignty, all other national aspirations will crumble.

3. Diplomatic Regional De-escalation:

Focusing on Diplomatic Regional De-escalation reveals the sophisticated political dimension of the security challenge in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It indicates that the government understands that military solutions alone (as addressed in the FARDC pledge) are insufficient without corresponding diplomatic pressure and engagement.

Here is a comprehensive explanation of this critical commitment, using British English and the context of the DRC.

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Diplomacy as the First Line of Defence

The government’s emphasis on diplomatic pathways underscores a crucial reality: the Eastern crisis in the DRC is fundamentally regional. The cycle of conflict is perpetuated by cross-border dynamics, support for armed groups from external actors, and disputes over resources and security concerns with neighbouring states. Therefore, the commitment to regional de-escalation is an acknowledgement that the root causes of the insecurity are often found outside the DRC’s formal borders.

1. Understanding the Regional Initiatives

The mention of the Luanda Process and the Nairobi Process highlights the specific mechanisms the DRC is currently leveraging for peace:

• The Nairobi Process (East African Community): This initiative focuses primarily on dialogue between the DRC government and the various domestic armed groups operating in the East. It is aimed at facilitating political consultation and encouraging these groups to lay down their arms and participate in the DDRCS programmes (Disarmament, Demobilisation, Community Recovery, and Stabilisation—Point 4). The East African Community (EAC) bloc often deploys a regional force to support these efforts and secure areas vacated by militants.

• The Luanda Process (Angola-led Mediation): This track tends to focus on high-level political mediation and security issues between the DRC and its immediate neighbours, particularly those it accuses of supporting the M23 rebellion. The Luanda Process seeks to establish clear benchmarks for the withdrawal of external forces and the normalisation of diplomatic relations, often requiring mutual security guarantees.

By engaging in both processes simultaneously, the DRC adopts a two-pronged strategy: addressing the local grievances through Nairobi and tackling the geopolitical root causes through Luanda.

2. The Core Diplomatic Objectives

The commitment to diplomacy pursues several concrete objectives that are vital for the long-term stability of the nation:

• Securing Borders: The ultimate goal is to establish mutually respected, secure borders and cease the infiltration of foreign armed groups into Congolese territory.

• Preventing External Support: Diplomacy seeks verifiable assurances from neighbours that they will stop providing safe haven, logistical support, or financial backing (often through illicit mineral trade) to militias destabilising the East.

• Restoring Trust: Years of conflict have eroded trust between Kinshasa and capitals like Kigali. The diplomatic processes are intended to rebuild interstate confidence, which is essential for joint security and economic cooperation.

• Avoiding Widespread War: In the face of intense military pressure, pursuing dialogue is a strategic means of de-escalating tensions that could otherwise spiral into a full-scale interstate conflict, which the DRC is determined to avoid.

3. The Test of Sincerity

The pursuit of diplomatic de-escalation, even while reinforcing the FARDC, represents a pragmatic approach. However, it is a delicate path fraught with challenges, as military success on the ground often dictates the negotiating power at the table. Success requires continuous engagement, transparency, and a willingness to compromise, even while maintaining a strong defensive posture. The government must convince the population that diplomacy is not a sign of weakness, but a tool of strategic necessity.

This complex interplay between force and negotiation is aptly summarised by the adage: “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” While military strength (vinegar) is necessary to deter aggression, the long-term, durable peace required for national development and economic growth can only be achieved through patient, persistent diplomatic engagement (honey). The Luanda and Nairobi processes are the crucibles in which the DRC’s commitment to this patient approach is currently being tested.

4. Institutionalising DDRCS Programmes:

The President’s emphasis on the “crucial need for effective” DDRCS programmes is a direct response to the devastating reality that military victory (via the FARDC) or diplomatic agreements are merely the first steps. Historically, numerous disarmament programmes in the DRC have failed because they treated demobilisation as an end point rather than the beginning of a complex social, economic, and psychological process.

Institutionalising DDRCS means embedding these processes deep within the national governance and budgeting structures, ensuring they are sustainable, adequately funded, and locally relevant.

1. Disarmament and Demobilisation (DDR): The Initial Phase

The first two stages—Disarmament and Demobilisation—are primarily logistical and military-focused:

• Disarmament: This involves the physical collection and destruction of weapons and ammunition from ex-combatants of groups like the M23 or local Mai-Mai militias. The success of this phase relies heavily on the trust built through diplomatic channels (Point 3) and assurances of safety.

• Demobilisation: This moves the combatants from the battlefield into designated transit or demobilisation centres. This phase includes registering the individuals, verifying their combatant status, and providing initial psycho-social support. The challenge is immense, as many combatants are child soldiers or were forcibly recruited, requiring specialised care.

2. Community Recovery (CR): Reversing the Damage

The failure of previous programmes often occurred here. Community Recovery shifts the focus from the individual combatant to the communities they are returning to and those they harmed.

• Social Reconciliation: This involves mechanisms for dialogue and trust-building between former combatants and the communities they are rejoining. Given the history of atrocities in North Kivu and Ituri, this requires local justice initiatives, traditional healing practices, and reconciliation workshops to manage trauma and rebuild social cohesion.

• Infrastructure Repair: Community recovery often funds small-scale projects—such as rebuilding damaged schools, clinics, or water points—chosen by the community itself. This gives the local population ownership over the peace process and creates temporary employment for returnees.

3. Stabilisation (S): Ensuring Long-Term Peace

The Stabilisation phase is the most critical for preventing the “cycles of violence” mentioned in the address. It addresses the economic and governance deficits that push people back into armed groups.

• Reintegration (Economic Pillar): This is the provision of vocational training, seed funding, and apprenticeships to help ex-combatants acquire marketable skills—be it farming, mechanics, or tailoring. The goal is to make a dignified civilian life economically viable. Without viable alternatives, former fighters often re-arm themselves.

• Local Governance Support: Stabilisation efforts work to restore state authority and basic services in areas previously controlled by armed groups. This includes training local police, magistrates, and administrators to ensure the rule of law (Point 17) is restored, reducing the security vacuums that allow militias to re-emerge.

The institutionalisation aspect means the DDRCS process must have reliable, multi-year funding, dedicated personnel, and clearly defined legal mandates, making it impervious to short-term political changes.

The importance of this holistic, long-term approach is perfectly summed up by the adage: “A stitch in time saves nine.” If the government invests the effort and resources now to systematically reintegrate ex-combatants and repair damaged communities, it will save exponentially more money, time, and human lives that would otherwise be lost in future conflicts fuelled by the neglect of this crucial stabilisation work. Without a properly institutionalised DDRCS, the DRC risks perpetually repeating the costly cycle of conflict.

5. Addressing the Humanitarian Crisis:

The security crisis in the East (Point 1) has triggered a complex and escalating humanitarian catastrophe that requires a response far beyond normal aid efforts. The DRC is home to one of the largest populations of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the world—a figure that has swollen dramatically due to renewed violence, particularly by the M23 and other armed groups in North Kivu and Ituri.

The formal commitment in the State of the Nation address to scale up emergency aid and improve conditions in displacement camps signals two critical government realisations: the crisis is currently overwhelming national capacity, and humanitarian response is a strategic necessity, not just a charitable act.

1. The Dire State of Internal Displacement Camps

The core of the commitment involves improving the IDP camps, which often spring up rapidly near relatively secure urban centres like Goma, Minova, and Bunia. The challenges faced within these camps are acute:

• Shelter and Sanitation: Many displaced people live under plastic sheeting or in makeshift structures, lacking adequate protection from the elements. Overcrowding and poor sanitation create perfect conditions for the rapid spread of diseases, such as cholera and measles.

• Food Insecurity: Access to consistent, nutritious food is severely constrained. Aid agencies struggle to keep pace with the influx of new arrivals, leading to high rates of malnutrition, especially among children.

• Security and Protection: Despite being ‘refuge,’ these camps are often vulnerable. The commitment to improve camps must include enhanced security measures to protect vulnerable women and children from exploitation and violence, including gender-based violence, which remains a severe threat in displacement settings.

2. Scaling Up Emergency Aid (The Immediate Response)

Scaling up emergency aid means leveraging national resources while significantly increasing collaboration with international partners. This involves:

• Logistics and Access: The DRC’s challenging geography—with few paved roads (Point 12) and vast distances—makes delivering aid exceptionally difficult and expensive. Scaling up requires investing in the logistics capacity of national disaster response agencies to reach remote and conflict-affected populations more swiftly.

• National Funding: The government must allocate a greater percentage of the national budget toward emergency relief, moving the response away from almost total reliance on foreign donor funds, which can be inconsistent.

• Health and Nutrition: A focus on immediate health interventions, including mass vaccination campaigns and setting up mobile clinics to address the specific health needs arising from displacement.

3. Working with International Partners (Strategic Cooperation)

The address explicitly highlights the need to work with international partners, including the UN, the World Food Programme (WFP), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and various NGOs. This cooperation is vital for three reasons:

• Expertise and Capacity: International agencies bring global expertise in managing large-scale, complex emergencies, as well as access to specialised resources that the DRC government may lack.

• Resource Mobilisation: Partnering with international bodies ensures the DRC is positioned to receive significant global financial appeals necessary to fund the multi-billion-dollar humanitarian response required annually.

• Neutrality: International actors can often access areas that are too dangerous or politically sensitive for the national army or government agencies, ensuring aid reaches those most in need, regardless of which armed group controls the territory.

Ultimately, addressing the humanitarian crisis is central to restoring dignity and stability. If people are safe, fed, and housed, they are less likely to be exploited by armed groups or contribute to social unrest. The government’s commitment here demonstrates a recognition that “charity begins at home,” but in the context of the DRC, that charity must be backed by institutional rigour and international cooperation. Neglecting the suffering of the displaced would undermine all other efforts to build a secure and prosperous nation.

Section II: Economic Sovereignty and Resource Management

6. The Drive for Economic Diversification:

The commitment to drive economic diversification, moving beyond the traditional heavy reliance on the mining sector, is one of the most strategically significant pledges in the President’s address. It represents a fundamental shift in national economic philosophy, seeking to build resilience against global commodity price shocks and create sustainable, large-scale employment for the majority of the Congolese population.

For decades, the DRC has suffered from what economists term the “resource curse” or “Dutch disease,” where immense mineral wealth (Points 7 & 8) paradoxically crowds out the development of other critical sectors. The government’s new agenda champions the development of agriculture, fisheries, and nascent manufacturing to create a broader and more stable economic base.

1. Reclaiming the Breadbasket: Agriculture

The DRC possesses over 80 million hectares of arable land, yet, paradoxically, it remains a net importer of basic foodstuffs. The diversification agenda seeks to reclaim the nation’s title as the breadbasket of Central Africa.

• Investment in Commercial Farming: A key element is incentivising large-scale commercial farming ventures, particularly in provinces like Kwango and Kasaï, focusing on staple crops such as maize, cassava, and rice.

• Support for Smallholders: Simultaneously, there is a push to empower smallholder farmers, who constitute the bulk of the rural workforce, through improved access to quality seeds, modern irrigation techniques, and micro-financing. This directly addresses the goal of achieving National Food Security (Point 9) by reducing costly imports and strengthening rural incomes.

• Infrastructure Linkages: The success of agriculture is tied directly to the commitment to rehabilitate roads (Point 12). Farmers cannot profit if their produce rots before it reaches the main urban markets of Kinshasa and Lubumbashi.

2. Tapping the Waters: Fisheries

With an extensive coastline, major lakes (including Tanganyika and Kivu), and the vast Congo River network, the fisheries sector offers substantial potential for economic growth and protein sources.

• Sustainable Aquaculture: The focus is on promoting modern, sustainable aquaculture techniques to meet local demand, preventing overfishing of wild stocks. This creates specialised jobs and improves national diet quality, supporting the health agenda (Point 14).

• Export Potential: Developing reliable cold chain storage and transport logistics could unlock export potential for high-value fish products to regional markets and beyond.

3. Building Capacity: Nascent Manufacturing

Developing a national manufacturing base is the ultimate goal of diversification. It is the process of moving up the economic value chain, turning raw materials into finished goods.

• Processing Minerals Domestically: The most obvious step is the local processing of minerals (Point 8). Manufacturing cathode components from Congolese cobalt or copper, rather than exporting the raw ore, instantly captures greater value, creates technical jobs, and develops a skilled industrial workforce.

• Textiles and Timber: Beyond mining, the government aims to encourage light manufacturing in sectors like textiles (based on local cotton production) and sustainable timber processing, creating factories and industrial parks.

The Interdependence of Development

Critically, the success of this diversification drive is dependent on the success of other government pledges: without a secure environment (Point 1) and a professional FARDC (Point 2), investment in agricultural land remains too risky. Without stable electricity from projects like Grand Inga (Point 11), manufacturing facilities cannot operate reliably.

The commitment to diversification is underpinned by the sound wisdom of the adage: “Do not put all your eggs in one basket.” For too long, the DRC has placed its entire national fortune in the single, volatile basket of mineral extraction. The drive for diversification is the long-overdue effort to create multiple, stable baskets—agriculture, fisheries, and manufacturing—to ensure that the nation’s economic future is resilient, sustainable, and shared by all its citizens, not just those connected to the mining sector.

7.The Strategic Importance of ‘Green Minerals’: A Defining Global Nexus

8.Local Value Addition: Turning Ore into Opportunity

The commitment to moving away from the bulk export of raw minerals towards compulsory in-country processing marks a pivotal break from decades of colonial and post-colonial economic models that favoured extraction over development. The policy is designed to address the deep-seated inequity where the DRC, the source of essential global resources like cobalt and copper (Point 7), captures only a tiny fraction of the final value of these materials.

This policy shift involves governmental use of legislation, taxation, and investment to force mining operators to conduct refining, smelting, and processing within the DRC’s borders.

1. The Value Chain Imperative

To understand the policy’s importance, one must look at the mineral value chain:

• Extraction: The ore is dug from the ground (low-value stage, high environmental cost).

• Export: Raw or semi-processed ore is shipped out (the DRC’s current primary role).

• Processing/Refining: The raw material is chemically treated and refined into usable metal or battery precursor materials (high-value stage, high technology requirement).

• Manufacturing: The refined materials are built into components (e.g., cathodes for batteries).

• Final Product: The component is built into an EV, phone, or storage unit (highest value stage).

By enforcing local processing, the DRC immediately moves up this value chain, capturing the economic benefits of the refining and smelting stages, which can increase the price of the material exponentially compared to the raw ore.

2. Stimulating Domestic Industrial Growth

The implementation of compulsory local processing acts as a powerful catalyst for industrial development:

• Job Creation: Refining and processing facilities require highly skilled technical labour, engineers, chemists, and plant operators. This creates better-paid, more sustainable jobs than simple artisanal mining. This feeds into the broader goal of Economic Diversification (Point 6).

• Technology Transfer: Foreign mining companies must bring advanced smelting and refining technologies into the country. This transfer of technology and expertise is crucial for building the DRC’s own industrial and technical capacity.

• Infrastructure Demand: Large processing plants require massive, reliable inputs: stable electricity (linking directly to the urgency of the Grand Inga Dam Project—Point 11), vast quantities of chemicals, and robust water supplies. This industrial demand forces the government and private sector to invest heavily in national infrastructure, benefiting the entire economy.

3. Overcoming Implementation Challenges

The policy, while attractive, faces considerable obstacles, which the address implicitly acknowledges through its commitments to governance:

• Energy Deficit: The most immediate challenge is the enormous energy requirement of smelting and refining. The DRC must solve its energy crisis before this policy can be fully realised.

• Financing and Investment: Large-scale processing facilities require billions in capital investment. The government must ensure its legal framework (Point 10) is attractive enough to encourage this investment, rather than scaring off companies.

• Environmental Concerns: Processing minerals is chemically intensive. The government must ensure it has the regulatory capacity to enforce strict environmental standards to prevent industrial pollution.

The commitment to local value addition is a brave and necessary strategic move. The country can no longer afford to watch its wealth depart simply in its raw form. The policy is rooted in the powerful economic truth conveyed by the adage: “A penny saved is a penny earned.” By retaining the processing value that would otherwise be exported—the “penny saved”—the DRC effectively “earns” billions in industrial revenue, skills development, and national sovereignty that will fuel its future prosperity.

9. Ensuring National Food Security: Ploughing the Seeds of Self-Sufficiency

The pledge to detail concrete plans for investing in large-scale agricultural projects and supporting smallholder farmers is a direct acknowledgement of one of the DRC’s most striking paradoxes: a nation with 80 million hectares of arable land (the vast majority of which is fertile) remains heavily reliant on importing staples like maize, rice, and even frozen fish. This reliance makes the cost of living sensitive to global price fluctuations and drains precious foreign currency reserves.

National Food Security is defined here as the state’s ability to ensure that all its citizens, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food. The government’s strategy is two-pronged, targeting both industrial efficiency and grassroots empowerment.

1. Investing in Large-Scale Agricultural Projects

The aim of these projects is to create the critical mass necessary to meet national demand and eventually create exportable surpluses:

• Agro-Industrial Parks: The government is focusing on developing designated agro-industrial parks (such as those previously envisioned in the western regions), where farmers can benefit from shared infrastructure, processing facilities, and dedicated transport links. This mechanisation and clustering reduce waste and improve efficiency.

• Modernisation and Technology: Investment must focus on moving beyond subsistence farming. This means providing large-scale machinery (tractors, tillers), introducing irrigation systems to mitigate drought risks, and promoting climate-resilient farming techniques. This contrasts with traditional smallholder methods by allowing for commercial volumes of production.

• Reducing Import Dependency: By focusing industrial efforts on key staple crops—cassava, maize, rice, and palm oil—the government can systematically reduce the need for expensive imports, freeing up foreign currency for other critical needs, such as healthcare equipment (Point 14) and industrial machinery.

2. Supporting Smallholder Farmers

While large projects boost overall volume, smallholder farmers constitute the backbone of the rural economy and are crucial for widespread employment (Point 6) and feeding local communities. The support mechanisms must be tailored to their specific needs:

• Access to Inputs: Subsidising or providing access to high-yield seeds, quality fertilisers, and basic tools is fundamental to increasing productivity per hectare.

• Training and Extension Services: Rebuilding and deploying agricultural extension services is essential to train farmers in modern techniques, pest control, and post-harvest management, dramatically reducing crop losses.

• Financing and Markets: Smallholders often lack access to capital. The government must facilitate micro-financing and establish predictable purchasing mechanisms (or “off-take agreements”) to guarantee a market for their produce, which acts as a powerful incentive to increase planting.

3. The Interdependence with Infrastructure and Security

The success of achieving food security is wholly dependent on the progress of other national agendas:

• Transport Logistics: A bumper harvest is useless if the produce cannot reach the hungry urban centres. The commitment to rehabilitating transport corridors (Point 12) is vital to link fertile interior provinces with the consumer markets of Kinshasa, Matadi, and Lubumbashi.

• Security: The ongoing conflict in the East (Point 1) continues to displace farmers and disrupt planting seasons, directly undermining food security efforts. Stability in these regions is paramount for agricultural production to resume.

The rationale behind this commitment is both ethical and pragmatic. A nation that cannot feed itself lacks true sovereignty and is constantly vulnerable to external pressure. This policy shift is necessary to ensure stability and resilience, as captured by the familiar adage: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” By investing the “ounce of prevention” now in sustainable local agriculture, the DRC avoids the “pound of cure” represented by chronic famine, economic drain from imports, and social unrest caused by hunger. Food security is, in this context, the essential foundation of social peace.

10. Improving the Business Climate: Unlocking the Dragon’s Potential

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is often cited as having one of the world’s highest economic potentials, yet it frequently ranks poorly in global indices for ease of doing business. The government’s pledge to streamline bureaucracy, combat corruption, and strengthen contract enforcement is a direct attempt to bridge this “potential-to-reality” gap and attract the scale of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) required for industrialisation.

FDI brings not only capital but also technology, management expertise, and access to global markets, all of which are essential for true economic transformation.

1. Streamlining Bureaucracy (The Red Tape Reduction)

Bureaucratic complexity is a major deterrent to investment. Lengthy procedures, multiple required authorisations, and opaque processes create high transaction costs and excessive delays.

• Single Window Systems: A key measure involves creating “Single Window” or one-stop-shop systems, particularly for company registration, licensing, and trade documentation. This aims to consolidate interactions with multiple government agencies (such as tax, customs, and commercial registry) into a single, efficient online or physical point.

• Simplifying Permits: Specific sectors, such as mining and construction, often require scores of permits. The reform focuses on eliminating redundant or outdated permits and setting clear, legally enforceable deadlines for approvals.

2. Combating Petty Corruption at Entry Points

Petty corruption—the low-level demands for bribes, or ‘pourboires’—at ports, borders, customs houses, and administrative offices is a corrosive tax on business. It creates uncertainty, discourages legitimate investors, and disproportionately harms small and medium enterprises.

• Digitalisation and Transparency: The strategy is to attack the opportunity for corruption by removing human discretion. Digital payment systems, transparent fee schedules (with fees posted clearly online and at entry points), and digital tracking of goods reduce the cash points where corruption thrives.

• Increased Oversight: Strengthening oversight bodies and ensuring swift, visible prosecution for officials caught soliciting bribes sends a clear signal that the government is serious about zero tolerance, building upon the broader anti-corruption mandate (Point 16).

3. Strengthening Contract Enforcement and the Rule of Law

Investors—especially foreign ones—need assurance that their substantial capital is protected by law. A weak or slow judicial system is a massive barrier to FDI.

• Judicial Reform: The commitment links directly to the need to strengthen the rule of law (Point 17). This involves training magistrates in commercial law, establishing specialised commercial courts that can handle complex business disputes efficiently, and ensuring the judiciary is genuinely independent and free from political or external influence.

• Dispute Resolution: Improving domestic arbitration and ensuring the DRC fully honours international arbitration awards is critical. Investors must be confident that if a contract dispute arises, they will have access to a fair, timely, and enforceable judgment.

The Holistic View

This entire set of measures is about reducing risk and increasing predictability for investors. A businessman in London or Shanghai evaluating an investment in the DRC is not primarily concerned with the profit potential (which is high) but with the risk of losing their entire investment due to arbitrary regulatory changes, unfair contract cancellation, or rampant corruption.

The economic reality is captured perfectly by the adage: “Where there is a will, there is a way.” For decades, the DRC’s vast potential was blocked by a lack of political will to tackle bureaucratic inertia and corruption. The government’s formal pledge to implement these tough, technical reforms signals the necessary political will to carve out an effective, transparent way for responsible FDI to flow into the country, funding Local Value Addition (Point 8) and securing National Food Security (Point 9).

Section III: Infrastructure and Social Development

11. Progress on the Grand Inga Dam: The Powerhouse of African Development

The Grand Inga Dam Project, situated on the Congo River—the second most powerful river in the world by volume—is not merely an infrastructure development; it is the single most important long-term determinant of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) future. When President Tshisekedi reports on advancements in this world-leading hydroelectric venture, he is signalling progress toward unlocking the country’s full economic and industrial potential.

The Grand Inga site, which includes the existing Inga I and Inga II facilities, holds the potential to generate an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 megawatts (MW) of power. This is enough electricity to power almost half of the African continent.

1. The Core Problem: Energy Poverty and Industrial Constraint

The immense potential of the Congo River contrasts sharply with the current reality: the DRC suffers from severe energy poverty, with grid electricity access rates remaining exceptionally low for the majority of the population. Furthermore, the existing grid is unreliable, plagued by inadequate maintenance and insufficient generation capacity.

This lack of reliable, affordable energy is the greatest single constraint on national development:

• Inhibiting Industrialisation: Without vast, stable power, the commitment to Local Value Addition (Point 8)—refining and processing minerals—is impossible, as smelters and refineries are energy-intensive operations.

• Deterring FDI: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in manufacturing and other high-value sectors is instantly deterred by the necessity of providing their own expensive, unreliable backup power.

• Limiting Social Progress: Unreliable power cripples basic services like healthcare (affecting vaccine cold chains) and education (limiting access to digital learning).

2. The Potential of Grand Inga: Reliability and Affordability

The advancements reported on the Grand Inga project focus on the next phases, primarily Inga III and beyond, which would dramatically change this equation:

• Reliable, Base-Load Power: Unlike solar or wind power, hydroelectricity is a stable, base-load power source, meaning it runs 24/7. This reliability is precisely what is needed to underpin a national industrial revolution.

• Affordable Energy: The scale of the project should, over time, lead to some of the lowest generation costs in the world. Affordable electricity is the cheapest way to boost manufacturing competitiveness, support economic diversification (Point 6), and raise the overall quality of life.

• Unlocking Industrial Capacity: By providing guaranteed power to the Copperbelt region (where the green minerals are extracted), Grand Inga would instantly make the goal of in-country processing economically viable, fulfilling the national destiny linked to the Strategic Importance of ‘Green Minerals’ (Point 7).

3. Grand Inga’s Geopolitical Dimension

The project is far too large for the DRC’s domestic needs alone, meaning it is inherently a regional project. The advancement reports must address securing off-take agreements with major regional partners, notably South Africa and potentially other SADC (Southern African Development Community) nations. These export contracts provide the guaranteed revenue stream needed to secure the necessary multi-billion dollar international financing for construction.

Progress on the Grand Inga is a testament to perseverance against decades of political and financial hurdles. The scale of the vision requires an equally immense effort in governance and transparent negotiation.

The commitment to seeing this project through highlights the timeless truth captured by the adage: “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” The Grand Inga project is the epitome of the long road, requiring collaboration with international financial institutions, regional power blocs, and specialised construction firms. It is the project that will allow the DRC to go far into the future, guaranteeing the stable energy that underpins all other national aspirations.

12. Investment in Key Transport Corridors: Weaving the Fabric of the Nation

The commitment to rehabilitate critical national roads and railways is essential for the DRC because the nation’s vast geography is both its greatest asset and its most profound logistical challenge. At 2.3 million square kilometres, the DRC requires a robust and reliable transportation network to function as a unified state, yet years of conflict, underinvestment, and harsh climatic conditions have left much of the infrastructure in disrepair.

The investment plan outlined in the President’s address aims to tackle three fundamental deficiencies simultaneously: connecting isolated regions, improving national cohesion, and boosting trade logistics.

1. Connecting Isolated Regions (National Cohesion)

The sheer scale of the DRC means that poor transport links often leave entire provinces isolated from Kinshasa and major economic hubs.

• Political and Administrative Unity: When physical connections break down, so too does administrative oversight and political cohesion. Reliable roads and railways allow the central government to project authority, deliver public services (like teachers and medical supplies), and ensure that citizens in remote areas feel truly connected to the state.

• Reducing Internal Displacement: Improved roads allow security forces (FARDC, Point 2) to deploy quickly to conflict zones, but crucially, they also enable the return of displaced persons (Point 5) to their original communities with the assurance that trade and aid can reach them.

• Accessibility to Social Services: Rehabilitation is critical for improving access to schools, hospitals, and clinics, particularly linking rural populations to regional service centres, thereby supporting the goals of Modernising the National Healthcare System (Point 14) and Expanding Free Primary Education (Point 13).

2. Improving Trade Logistics (Economic Viability)

A functioning transport network is the lifeblood of commerce. The high cost of moving goods in the DRC—often cited as among the highest in the world—is a considerable barrier to both domestic and foreign investment (FDI, Point 10).

• Supporting Diversification and Food Security: This investment is absolutely vital for the success of Economic Diversification (Point 6) and Ensuring National Food Security (Point 9). Harvests from fertile, interior provinces cannot compete with cheap imports if the cost of moving them to Kinshasa is prohibitive. The rehabilitation of “corridors” (key routes connecting productive areas to consumer markets or ports) is the necessary antidote.

• Facilitating Mining Exports: While the focus is shifting to Local Value Addition (Point 8), the transportation of processed minerals and the heavy equipment required for mining still rely heavily on rail links and well-maintained road access to ports like Matadi and eventually the East African coast.

3. Railway Rehabilitation: The Backbone of Heavy Freight

While roads are crucial for people and last-mile logistics, railways are essential for the heavy, bulk movement of materials, especially in the context of the mining sector and large-scale agriculture.

• SNCC (Société Nationale des Chemins de fer du Congo): The commitment implicitly addresses the urgent need to modernise the national rail operator, replacing old rolling stock and fixing dilapidated tracks to restore reliable connections between the Copperbelt (Lualaba/Haut-Katanga) and the coast, as well as linking to neighbouring countries’ networks.

The challenge is immense: corruption, poor maintenance, and the sheer scale of the work required mean that progress is often slow. The government’s emphasis, however, signifies an understanding that infrastructure investment delivers compounding returns across every sector.

The overarching principle of investing in these critical transport links is powerfully articulated by the adage: “If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the mountain.” The vast scale of the DRC’s potential—its minerals, its arable land, its people—is the “mountain,” but that mountain remains geographically isolated and inaccessible. The investment in roads and railways is the “way” that the government, representing Muhammad, must build to connect the nation’s political and economic heart to its scattered potential, ultimately weaving the diverse regions into a unified, functioning economy.

13. Expanding Free Primary Education: Investing in the Human Capital

The commitment to review and expand free tuition in state primary schools is a foundational step towards building the DRC’s human capital and tackling chronic poverty. Since its introduction, this policy has been immensely popular, but the President’s address acknowledges that policy implementation must be met with sustained financial support and critical infrastructure expansion to ensure it is effective, equitable, and sustainable.

Education is the most powerful tool for individual social mobility and collective national development, hence the government’s unwavering commitment.

1. The Policy’s Impact and the Challenges of Success

Before the policy was implemented, primary education costs—including fees and mandatory contributions—excluded millions of children from poor families, perpetuating intergenerational poverty.

• Mass Enrolment: The introduction of free tuition immediately resulted in a surge of millions of children enrolling or returning to school, a major victory for social justice.

• The Funding Gap: This success, however, created new, immense challenges: the government must now compensate the schools and teachers for the lost tuition revenue. The “continued financial support” promised in the address is critical to ensure teachers are paid reliably and on time, thereby reducing strikes and maintaining the quality of instruction.

• Infrastructure Overload: The massive increase in pupils led to severe overcrowding, with classrooms designed for 40 children often holding 80 or more. This dilutes the quality of education and stresses the existing dilapidated school buildings.

2. Infrastructure Expansion and Quality Assurance

The commitment to infrastructure expansion is designed to address the physical and material deficits arising from the enrolment surge:

• Building New Schools: A comprehensive plan is required to construct new, climate-resilient schools in underserved areas, particularly remote rural regions and high-density urban periphery zones.

• Classroom Rehabilitation: Many existing structures require urgent rehabilitation, including installing necessities like desks, clean water access, and sanitary facilities, which are essential for student health and retention (especially for girls).

• Material Provision: Expansion also extends to materials, including providing textbooks and basic supplies free of charge to ensure that the “free” policy is truly accessible to the poorest families.

3. Education as a National Security and Economic Strategy

Investing in free education is directly linked to the country’s stability and economic goals:

• Tackling Illiteracy: Increased literacy and numeracy are fundamental to creating a modern workforce capable of supporting the goals of Economic Diversification (Point 6) and executing the high-skilled tasks required for Local Value Addition (Point 8) in the minerals sector.

• Breaking the Cycle of Conflict: Education provides children, especially those in conflict-affected regions, with an alternative to recruitment by armed groups. Providing a future through skills and knowledge is one of the most effective long-term strategies to Prevent Cycles of Violence (Point 4).

The policy is essentially a recognition that the DRC’s greatest untapped resource is its young, growing population. Without widespread, quality basic education, this demographic dividend becomes a social liability.

The commitment to sustained funding and expansion demonstrates the government’s understanding of this long-term investment. This is encapsulated by the saying: “You have to sow before you can reap.” The tuition funds that the state is “sowing” now into the free primary education system are an indispensable investment in the “human capital” of the next generation. The “reap” will be a future Congolese society that is more literate, more skilled, more peaceful, and equipped to manage its own immense wealth.

14.Modernising the National Healthcare System: Investing in Life and Dignity

The government’s outline of a phased strategy for building and equipping local healthcare centres and focusing on disease prevention and improving maternal and infant health outcomes represents a critical pivot towards long-term national stability. The DRC’s healthcare sector is chronically underfunded, often operating in a state of crisis due to recurring epidemics (like Ebola, cholera, and measles) and the immense strain of conflict-related trauma (Point 5).

Modernisation is not just about building new hospitals; it is about establishing a robust primary healthcare network that is accessible, affordable, and, crucially, focuses on preventative care to reduce the burden on major hospitals.

1. The Phased Strategy: From Locality to Specialisation

The commitment to a “phased strategy” indicates a structured, deliberate approach, moving from the most basic level of care outward:

• Local Healthcare Centres (Centres de Santé): The focus on local centres is the most vital step. These are the front lines of the healthcare system, serving rural villages and urban neighbourhoods. The strategy involves not just building new centres, but critically, equipping them with essential diagnostics, basic medicines, and reliable utilities (power, water, and Transport Corridors for medical supply logistics, Point 12).

• Disease Prevention and Community Health: This is the most cost-effective element. It focuses on vaccinations, health education (sanitation, hygiene), malaria net distribution, and community-level tracking of infectious diseases. Proactive prevention reduces hospital admissions and saves lives, which is particularly relevant in conflict-affected areas where outbreaks can be catastrophic.

• Referral Hospitals: The subsequent phase would link these local centres to better-equipped regional hospitals capable of handling emergency surgeries and specialised care.

2. The Focus on Maternal and Infant Health

The explicit prioritisation of maternal and infant health outcomes is a direct response to the DRC’s persistently high rates of mother and child mortality, which are key indicators of a failing health system.

• Safe Birthing: This involves ensuring that births occur in formal health facilities, supported by trained midwives and nurses, rather than at home with untrained attendants. This requires investment in clean birthing suites and emergency obstetric care.

• Infant Care and Nutrition: The strategy addresses the high infant mortality rate through immunisation campaigns, nutritional support, and early childhood interventions. The success of this is intrinsically linked to Ensuring National Food Security (Point 9), as malnutrition is a primary cause of infant vulnerability.

3. Healthcare and Governance

The success of healthcare modernisation is tied to governance reform (Point 17):

• Reliable Funding: Ensuring that funding for the health sector is not subject to political whims and is free from the corruption (Point 16) that historically sees medical supplies stolen or misused.

• Human Resources: The phased strategy must include a massive investment in training and retaining qualified medical personnel, particularly in remote areas, where salaries and conditions must be competitive.

The national health service is the ultimate expression of the government’s commitment to its people’s welfare. The process of modernisation is long and requires sustained political will and funding.

This effort to proactively invest in widespread primary and preventative care, rather than relying solely on high-cost emergency intervention, perfectly illustrates the adage: “A fence at the top of the cliff is better than an ambulance at the bottom.” The government is attempting to build the “fence”—the preventative primary care network—to keep people healthy and safe from chronic and infectious disease, saving the nation from the enormous human and financial cost of constantly calling the “ambulance” of emergency care.

15. Promoting Digital Transformation: Bridging the Divide to Economic Growth

The government’s plan to expand fibre-optic connectivity and support digital literacy programmes recognises that technology is no longer a luxury but a vital tool for economic growth and governance. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where physical distance is a massive barrier (as seen with Transport Corridors, Point 12), digital connectivity offers the most rapid way to overcome geography and integrate the nation.

This initiative is a strategic effort to leapfrog traditional development stages, using modern technology to modernise the economy, improve public service delivery, and enhance transparency.

1. Expanding Fibre-Optic Connectivity (The Digital Backbone)

Fibre-optic cables are the high-speed arteries of the digital economy. The commitment here aims to build the fundamental infrastructure necessary for the 21st century:

• National and Regional Links: The plan must focus on completing and expanding the national fibre backbone, linking Kinshasa to the interior provinces and connecting the DRC to regional and international subsea cables. This ensures fast, reliable, and high-capacity data transmission across the massive country.

• Affordability and Accessibility: Expanding the network drives down the cost of bandwidth, making internet access more affordable for businesses and ordinary citizens. This is crucial for enabling local entrepreneurs to participate in the global digital economy.

• Supporting Decentralisation: Reliable connectivity is essential for the government to manage its affairs efficiently, enabling real-time data exchange between central ministries and provincial administrations. This is key to strengthening the rule of law and improving administrative efficiency (Point 17).

2. Digital Literacy Programmes (Empowering the Citizenry)

Infrastructure is useless without the human capital to utilise it. Digital literacy is the complementary focus, ensuring that connectivity translates into tangible skills and economic opportunity:

• Workforce Readiness: Digital literacy programmes, often linked to the expanded education system (Point 13), aim to equip young people with the essential skills needed for modern work—from basic computer use to coding and data analysis. This directly supports the creation of skilled jobs necessary for Economic Diversification (Point 6) and Local Value Addition (Point 8).

• Financial Inclusion: Teaching digital skills allows citizens to access mobile banking, digital payments, and micro-financing platforms, integrating the largely unbanked population into the formal economy.

• E-Governance: Digital literacy allows citizens to interact with government services online, such as filing taxes, applying for permits, or accessing health information (Point 14).

3. Technology as a Tool for Governance and Transparency

Digital transformation is one of the most powerful tools in the fight against corruption (Point 16) and for improving the business climate (Point 10):

• Revenue Collection: Digital tax and customs systems reduce the opportunities for human interaction and illicit demands, making revenue collection more transparent and efficient.

• Tracking Public Funds: Using digital platforms to manage public contracts and budgets allows for easier auditing and reduces the leakage of funds.

• Security: Improved digital communications and intelligence gathering are crucial for Strengthening the FARDC (Point 2) and managing the volatile Eastern Security Crisis (Point 1).

The promotion of digital transformation is a bold attempt to maximise the efficiency of every development dollar spent. The strategy is to invest in a low-cost, high-impact solution that bypasses decades of geographical underdevelopment.

The philosophy behind this move is perfectly encapsulated by the adage: “Necessity is the mother of invention.” In the DRC, the necessity created by vast geography, poor roads, and historical instability has spurred the invention of a national strategy centred on rapid digital adoption. By embracing technology, the country seeks to invent a modern, integrated future, where a business in Kisangani can connect with the world as easily as a business in Kinshasa.

Section IV: Governance, Democracy, and Accountability

16. Zero Tolerance on Corruption: The Cornerstone of Good Governance

Corruption and illicit enrichment have historically been the single greatest obstacle to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) development. It is the mechanism by which the country’s vast wealth is siphoned off, preventing necessary funding from reaching public services, infrastructure projects, and the security sector. The President’s strong message on Zero Tolerance on Corruption is therefore a recognition that no sustainable progress can be achieved until this cancerous problem is contained.

The commitment focuses on two interconnected strategic areas: aggressive enforcement and structural reform, with judicial independence as the prerequisite for success.

1. Combating Illicit Enrichment and Leakage

Corruption takes many forms, but illicit enrichment (the unexplained increase in wealth of public officials) and institutional leakage (funds disappearing from public budgets) are the most damaging:

• Public Accountability: The government commits to strengthening institutions responsible for monitoring public funds, such as the Inspectorate General of Finance (IGF). Their mandate is to audit government spending, investigate suspicious transactions, and recover stolen state assets.

• Sectoral Focus: Enforcement is particularly vital in the resource sector. Corruption often facilitates the illicit trade in minerals, undermining the Strategic Importance of ‘Green Minerals’ (Point 7) and circumventing the goal of Local Value Addition (Point 8). Combating this leakage is essential to ensure that mineral wealth actually funds the national budget.

• Digitalisation as a Barrier: The Promoting Digital Transformation agenda (Point 15) is a primary tool against corruption. Digital tax filing, automated customs procedures, and transparent online public procurement systems reduce the opportunities for human officials to solicit bribes or divert funds.

2. Judicial Independence: The Prerequisite for Success

The reiteration of judicial independence is the crucial structural plank of the anti-corruption fight. Without an impartial judiciary, anti-corruption efforts are simply political theatre, easily used to target opponents while protecting allies.

• Impartial Investigation and Prosecution: Judicial independence ensures that anti-corruption agencies can investigate and prosecute cases, regardless of the political or economic status of the accused. High-profile, successful convictions are essential to changing the public’s perception and deterring future malfeasance.

• Strengthening the Rule of Law: This commitment is deeply intertwined with Strengthening the Rule of Law (Point 17). It requires investing in the capacity of judges and prosecutors, providing them with better training, and protecting them from intimidation or external political pressure. If judges are not independent, they cannot enforce the contracts needed to Improve the Business Climate and Attract FDI (Point 10).

• Asset Recovery: An independent judiciary is necessary for effectively recovering assets stolen by corrupt officials and ensuring those funds are returned to the state coffers to finance urgent development needs, such as Expanding Free Primary Education (Point 13).

The challenge is immense, as corruption is deeply institutionalised in many facets of Congolese life. The “Zero Tolerance” message is a declaration that the culture of impunity must end, marking a shift from passive acceptance to active confrontation.

The importance of tackling corruption as the very first step before all other development efforts is perfectly captured by the adage: “Cut off the head and the snake will die.” Corruption is the hydra-headed “snake” that poisons every institution in the country. By resolutely targeting and cutting off the sources and mechanisms of corruption—especially through independent judicial enforcement—the government aims to eliminate the root cause of the nation’s instability and economic malaise, allowing genuine good governance to flourish.

17. Strengthening the Rule of Law: Building a Foundation of Justice

The commitment to judicial reform, including better pay and training for magistrates and judges, is a direct response to the long-standing erosion of public faith in the justice system. The Rule of Law—the principle that all people and institutions are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced, and independently adjudicated—is the bedrock of any stable society. Without it, democracy, economic development, and social cohesion cannot flourish.

In the DRC, the justice system has historically suffered from political interference, corruption, and massive under-resourcing, leading to inefficiency and widespread impunity. The President’s address aims to tackle these deep-seated issues head-on.

1. Combating the Root Causes of Judicial Weakness

The focus on improving pay and training for judicial personnel is highly strategic, addressing the two primary vulnerabilities of the system:

• Addressing Corruption through Welfare: Better pay for magistrates and judges is a critical countermeasure to corruption. When judicial salaries are low and irregular, judges become susceptible to bribery, undermining the Zero Tolerance on Corruption mandate (Point 16). Adequate compensation is a necessary precondition for demanding ethical conduct and reducing the temptation of illicit enrichment.

• Enhancing Competence through Training: Increased training is essential to professionalise the judiciary. This includes specialised training in key areas critical to national development, such as commercial law (vital for attracting FDI, Point 10), environmental law (essential for managing the Green Minerals sector, Point 7), and international humanitarian law (crucial for addressing the Eastern Security Crisis, Point 1).

2. Ensuring Judicial Independence and Impartiality

Beyond welfare and competence, the reform aims to fortify the judiciary’s ability to act impartially, free from political or financial coercion:

• Protecting Magistrates: The government must put in place mechanisms to protect judges and prosecutors from political interference and intimidation when they handle high-profile corruption or human rights cases. This is what makes judicial independence (reiterated in Point 16) a tangible reality.

• Fair and Timely Justice: The ultimate goal is to move from a system where legal disputes take years to resolve to one where justice is rendered in a timely manner. This is crucial for Improving the Business Climate and Attracting FDI (Point 10), as investors require confidence that contract disputes will be resolved efficiently and fairly.

• Restoring Public Faith: By making the justice system faster, more transparent, and more accessible, the government seeks to restore the population’s belief that the law applies equally to everyone, from the poorest citizen to the wealthiest mining executive. This public faith is essential for the legitimacy of the entire state apparatus.

3. The Centrality of Justice to Development

Strengthening the rule of law is the mechanism that enforces all other government policies. Without it:

• Economic Diversification falters because property rights are not secure.

• Anti-Corruption efforts fail because prosecutions cannot be secured.

• Security Sector Reform (FARDC, Point 2) lacks credibility because soldiers responsible for human rights abuses are not held accountable.

The immense effort required to reform a deeply challenged judicial system is captured by the adage: “A crooked stick will still cast a straight shadow, if you hold it up to the light.” For decades, the DRC’s justice system has been the “crooked stick,” casting shadows of corruption and unfairness. The judicial reform initiatives—better pay, better training, and political non-interference—represent the “light” that the government must shine consistently to ensure that the justice dispensed (the “shadow”) is straight, fair, and equitable for all.

18. Preparing for Democratic Elections: The Crucible of Legitimacy

The President’s reaffirmation of the commitment to hold free, transparent, and credible elections is a profound statement of democratic principle. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where political transitions have historically been fraught with conflict and disputes over legitimacy, the successful organisation of elections is the primary constitutional mechanism for transferring power peacefully and ensuring the population’s consent to be governed.

The address deliberately acknowledges the institutional responsibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), signalling that the government, while providing necessary support, respects the Commission’s technical and operational independence.

1. The Imperative of Credibility

For elections to truly stabilise the country, they must be considered credible, both domestically and internationally. This requires focusing on three key elements:

• Transparency: Transparency must govern every stage of the electoral cycle, from voter registration and the procurement of voting materials to the tabulation and announcement of results. This often involves inviting independent domestic and international observer missions to monitor the process rigorously.

• Inclusivity: Elections must be accessible to all eligible citizens, regardless of their location, including those in remote areas or those displaced by conflict (Point 5). The commitment to Connecting Isolated Regions (Point 12) through infrastructure indirectly supports this by improving access to polling stations and facilitating the transport of materials.

• Fairness and Level Playing Field: The government must ensure that all political parties and candidates have equitable access to media, state resources, and campaign opportunities, thereby respecting the spirit of democratic competition.

2. The Role of CENI: Operational and Technical Independence

Acknowledging the CENI’s institutional responsibility is a crucial political declaration. The CENI is the central body charged with the complex logistical and technical feat of organising a national poll across the vast and challenging DRC territory:

• Logistical Capacity: The CENI is responsible for updating the voter register, procuring sensitive materials (like ballot papers and electronic voting devices), and deploying personnel and materials across thousands of polling stations—an immense challenge in a country with limited infrastructure.

• Political Management: The Commission must navigate intense political pressure from the ruling coalition and the opposition. The government’s pledge of support must be accompanied by non-interference to ensure the CENI can make purely technical decisions free from political coercion.

• Budgeting and Funding: Organising elections in the DRC is immensely expensive. The government must ensure it provides timely and adequate financial resources to the CENI to prevent logistical delays or capacity issues that could undermine the credibility of the vote.

3. The Link to Rule of Law and Stability

Elections are inextricably linked to the broader governance agenda:

• Legal Framework: The elections must be held strictly in accordance with the country’s constitution and electoral laws, reinforcing the commitment to the Rule of Law (Point 17).

• Security: The Strengthening the FARDC (Point 2) pledge is vital for securing the electoral process, protecting polling stations, and ensuring the safety of electoral officials and voters, particularly in conflict zones in the East.

The successful, timely, and credible organisation of elections is the primary barometer by which the international community will measure the DRC’s progress towards genuine democracy. The political stakes could not be higher.

This crucial political commitment is aptly summarised by the adage: “Actions speak louder than words.” The President’s words reaffirming the commitment to elections are strong, but the decisive factor will be the government’s subsequent actions: the timely release of funds to CENI, the political non-interference, and the effective Strengthening of the Rule of Law that ensures electoral justice. These actions, not the promises themselves, will ultimately determine the legitimacy of the electoral outcome and the future stability of the DRC.

19. Empowering Youth and Women in Leadership: Unlocking National Potential

The policy commitment to increasing the representation of women and young people in governance structures, business, and civil society is a recognition that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) cannot achieve its immense potential while excluding two of its largest and most dynamic demographic groups. This is a progressive policy aimed at correcting historical imbalances, injecting new dynamism into decision-making, and ensuring that future stability is built on broad-based representation.

This initiative is key to modernising the political and economic landscape, moving away from systems often dominated by older, male, and entrenched elites.

1. Youth Empowerment: The Demographic Dividend

The DRC has a significantly youthful population. Engaging this demographic in governance and the economy is a stability imperative:

• Inclusion in Governance: Policies must be put in place to ensure young people are represented in ministerial cabinet roles, parliamentary positions, and administrative posts. This provides fresh perspectives and connects government policy to the needs of the majority of the population.

• Economic Integration: Unemployment is extremely high among young people, especially in urban areas. Empowering them in business means providing access to capital, mentorship, and skills training (linking to Expanding Free Primary Education, Point 13, and Digital Transformation, Point 15). Providing viable economic pathways is a key long-term measure to Prevent Cycles of Violence (Point 4) and recruitment by armed groups.

• Harnessing Innovation: Young people are often the drivers of digital innovation. Empowering them in the business sector can help the country rapidly adopt new technologies and push forward the agenda for Economic Diversification (Point 6).

2. Women’s Representation: A Prerequisite for Good Governance

Increasing the representation of women in leadership is not just a matter of social justice; it is directly linked to better governance outcomes:

• Policy Effectiveness: Evidence globally shows that when women are involved in politics and peace building (such as the Luanda and Nairobi Processes), policies tend to be more inclusive and sustainable, and peace agreements are more durable.

• Anti-Corruption and Transparency: Increased female representation in roles related to finance, auditing, and justice often correlates with lower levels of corruption, supporting the goal of Zero Tolerance on Corruption (Point 16).

• Sectoral Improvement: Empowering women in civil society, particularly in areas like maternal health and education, directly strengthens the implementation of social policies such as Modernising the National Healthcare System (Point 14).

3. Concrete Policy Mechanisms

To make this commitment real, the government must move beyond rhetoric to implement specific legal and institutional measures:

• Quota Systems: This might involve introducing legal quotas for female representation on party lists for legislative elections or mandatory inclusion rates in public sector appointments.

• Leadership Development: Investing in dedicated training and mentorship programmes for young women and men aspiring to leadership roles in politics, civil service, and corporate management.

• Access to Finance: Creating funds or financing schemes specifically for women-led and youth-led businesses, often overcoming systemic barriers to accessing traditional bank credit.

The entire principle behind empowering these groups is one of unlocking latent human resources that have been suppressed for generations. The country can no longer afford to leave its talent pool untapped.

This strategic choice to empower those historically excluded is best captured by the adage: “Many hands make light work.” For too long, the immense, heavy work of nation-building in the DRC has been shouldered by only a narrow set of political and economic actors. By intentionally bringing the many hands of its women and youth into leadership roles across all sectors, the government aims to make the monumental task of securing peace, achieving development, and ensuring stability significantly lighter, more efficient, and more effective for the entire nation.

20. A Call for National Unity and Responsibility: The Moral Foundation of Reconstruction

The address concludes with an overarching plea for the citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), irrespective of ethnic or political affiliation, to embrace a unified national identity and participate actively in the country’s reconstruction. This plea is strategically placed at the end because it asserts that political legitimacy, economic success, and military strength ultimately depend on the collective spirit of the Congolese people.

This call addresses the legacy of conflict and division that has historically plagued the nation, positioning unity as the essential ingredient for converting potential into reality.

1. The Necessity of National Unity

The history of the DRC is marked by regionalism, ethnic tensions (often exploited by armed groups in the East, Point 1), and political fragmentation. The call for unity is an attempt to transcend these divisions and forge a common purpose:

• Tackling Identity Politics: The plea aims to convince citizens that their primary identity must be Congolese, superseding local, ethnic, or provincial affiliations. This is especially vital in building a national consciousness that resists external manipulation and exploitation in the border regions.

• Consensus on the National Project: Unity is required for stable governance. The government is essentially asking the opposition, civil society, and the population to put aside partisan differences when it comes to fundamental issues like national security, infrastructure rehabilitation (Point 12), and the fight against corruption (Point 16).

• Supporting the FARDC: A unified nation provides unambiguous moral and material support to the Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo (FARDC) (Point 2), strengthening their operational effectiveness and legitimacy as defenders of the nation, rather than one faction.

2. Embracing Collective Responsibility

The call for “active participation” shifts the focus from what the government must do to what the citizen must contribute. Responsibility is framed broadly, encompassing several key citizen duties:

• Civic Duty and Patriotism: Citizens are asked to support governance efforts by paying taxes, respecting the Rule of Law (Point 17), and refusing to participate in or tolerate corruption (Point 16).

• Economic Participation: Active participation means engaging in the economy—whether through farming (supporting National Food Security, Point 9), starting small businesses, or seeking technical training (supporting Digital Transformation, Point 15). The reconstruction requires millions of individual efforts, not just massive state investment.

• Vigilance and Peacekeeping: In the East, responsibility means citizens cooperating with security forces, rejecting calls to join militias, and supporting the process of demobilisation and reintegration (DDRCS, Point 4).

3. Unity as the Ultimate Guarantee

The overarching message is that the immense size and complexity of the DRC mean that no single leader, political party, or foreign partner can solve all the nation’s problems alone. The resources are there, the plans are detailed, but the human force to execute them must be united.

The entire concluding philosophy is powerfully captured by the adage: “United we stand, divided we fall.” The DRC has repeatedly fallen throughout its history due to internal divisions and external exploitation that capitalised on those divisions. The President’s final, passionate plea is a demand that the Congolese people embrace unity—the one spiritual resource that is greater than any mineral wealth—to ensure the reconstruction succeeds and the nation finally stands strong and independent.

The Essential Counter-Narrative: The Gap Between Rhetoric and Reality

While the State of the Nation address sets an ambitious, cohesive, and professional vision for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), it is met with significant scepticism from domestic opposition, civil society groups, and international observers. This counter-narrative is essential for a balanced understanding of the country’s progress, as it highlights the immense gap between political intent and practical implementation on the ground.

The core criticism is not that the goals are wrong, but that the mechanisms currently in place are insufficient to overcome decades of institutional decay and entrenched interests.

1. The Entrenched Challenge of Illicit Finance

The most persistent criticism targets the anti-corruption agenda (Zero Tolerance on Corruption, Point 16), arguing that the sheer scale and deep entrenchment of mineral-linked illicit finance are a formidable, deeply entrenched challenge that requires more than political will.

• Institutional Robustness: Sceptics argue that while the Inspectorate General of Finance (IGF) and other anti-corruption bodies may be active, they often lack the independent, non-political mandate required to pursue cases against powerful political and economic figures. The challenge is not detecting corruption, but securing convictions and asset recovery that stick, especially when dealing with international money laundering networks.

• The Scale of Mineral Leakage: The criticism is that the focus on bureaucratic streamlining (Point 10) is insufficient when billions are being lost daily through transfer pricing, smuggling, and illicit mineral procurement, undermining the entire revenue base needed to fund all other projects, from education to healthcare.

2. Slow Pace and Limited Tangible Success in Security Reform

The promises regarding security, including Strengthening the FARDC (Point 2) and Diplomatic Regional De-escalation (Point 3), are viewed as too slow to be effective given the urgency of the Eastern crisis:

• FARDC Reform: Observers cite limited tangible success in producing a disciplined, effective fighting force. The failure of the FARDC to defeat the most well-armed and organised non-state actors (like the M23) without significant assistance from regional forces or UN peacekeepers is seen as proof that the reforms are either underfunded or structurally flawed.

• Humanitarian Strain: The pace of security reform has failed to prevent the escalation of the humanitarian crisis (Point 5). As long as the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) continues to rise, the promises of progress elsewhere—from Food Security (Point 9) to Expanding Free Primary Education (Point 13)—are seen as hollow for those in conflict zones.

3. Misalignment of Priorities (The ‘Grand Projet’ Critique)

An alternative perspective suggests that the government’s focus on large, expensive, and long-term infrastructure like the Grand Inga Dam Project (Point 11) is misplaced, or at least overshadows more pressing, immediate needs:

• Focus on Local Governance: Critics argue that capital expenditures on mega-projects should be diverted to immediate necessities—providing basic security, delivering consistent potable water, and ensuring reliable power access—in urban centres and, crucially, in local communities across the provinces. These essential services are the true measure of governance.

• Sustainability of Social Reforms: While Free Primary Education (Point 13) is praised, scepticism remains about its sustainability. If the anti-corruption fight fails to secure sufficient national revenue, funding for teacher salaries and essential infrastructure expansion is likely to dry up, leading to a collapse in quality.

4. The Adage: The True Test of Intent

The core of the counter-narrative is distilled into one powerful message: intentions count for little when public suffering continues. The true test of the entire State of the Nation address lies not in the promises made on the Parliament floor, but in the measurable impact on the lives of ordinary Congolese citizens in the year to come.

This critical view is best encapsulated by the adage: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” The government’s intentions are undoubtedly good, and the plans are ambitious. However, if the bureaucratic and political “paving” of that road—the actual work of judicial reform, anti-corruption enforcement, and rapid security deployment—is ineffective or slow, those good intentions will ultimately lead to failure, disillusionment, and a continued cycle of instability. The real measure of success is delivery, not vision.

Conclusion: The Path from Potential to Progress—A Geopolitical Reckoning

The conclusion of the President’s address is a powerful rhetorical device that aims to leave the legislative body and the nation with a sense of urgent destiny. It moves the conversation from specific policies to a grand, strategic narrative: the DRC’s refusal to be defined solely by its troubles. Instead, the nation declares its intention to fully leverage its natural abundance for human flourishing.

This final summation clarifies the true stakes of the government’s ambitious agenda, not just for the Congolese people, but for the world.

1. The Global Nexus: Stability and Climate

The broader implication is clear: the stability and prosperity of the DRC are inextricably linked to global climate and economic stability. This is the core geopolitical message woven throughout the entire speech.

• Green Minerals and the Global Transition: The world’s push towards net-zero emissions is predicated on a stable supply of cobalt, copper, and lithium from the DRC (Strategic Importance of ‘Green Minerals’, Point 7). If the DRC remains unstable, the global transition to electric vehicles and renewable energy storage is jeopardised, making the nation’s security crisis a global economic vulnerability.

• The Responsibility of Partners: By highlighting the global reliance on its resources, the DRC shifts the narrative from being a recipient of aid to being a critical global partner. The address is a direct call for external nations and multinational corporations to move beyond transactional relationships and invest in the long-term, ethical stability of the region, aligning with the country’s need for strong Rule of Law (Point 17) and Zero Tolerance on Corruption (Point 16).

2. The Internal Challenge: The Synthesis of Efforts

The synthesis of the address’s goals reveals that no single point can succeed in isolation. The path from immense potential to undeniable progress requires a system of mutually dependent reforms:

• Security for Economics: Securing the East (Point 1) is not an end in itself; it is the prerequisite for allowing farmers to plant (National Food Security, Point 9) and for investors to build factories (Local Value Addition, Point 8, and Improving the Business Climate, Point 10).

• Infrastructure for Development: Reliable electricity from Grand Inga (Point 11) is necessary for processing the Green Minerals (Point 7), and functioning Transport Corridors (Point 12) are necessary to distribute the manufactured goods and food.

• Governance for Sustainability: All economic and infrastructure gains will be instantly wiped out if the structural governance reforms—judicial independence, anti-corruption enforcement, and transparent electoral processes (Point 18)—fail to take hold.

3. The Final Adage and the Test of Will

The conclusion is ultimately a plea for unity of purpose. The President’s commitment is significant, but it must be met with the relentless, collective effort of every politician, business leader, and citizen (A Call for National Unity and Responsibility, Point 19).

The critical difference between this vision and past failed promises lies in the execution. The entire national transformation hinges on a massive, unified effort—a concept perfectly captured by the adage: “Talk is cheap.”

The Actionable Insight for both domestic and international actors proves this point: alignment with the government’s priorities—specifically local value addition (Point 8) and support for DDRCS programmes (Point 4)—is the necessary “cost of entry” to operate ethically in the DRC. The time for mere “talk” about potential is over; the success of the agenda depends on concrete “action” that turns the twenty ambitious points into a lived, tangible reality for the Congolese people.

Sub Delegate

Joram Jojo