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Kongo Central : un comité créé pour superviser deux projets agricoles de 32 millions $
Le ministère de l’Agriculture a lancé, le 7 novembre 2025, un comité de pilotage (COPIL) chargé de superviser deux projets agricoles à Songololo, dans le Kongo Central, pour un montant total de 32 millions de dollars. Mis en œuvre par One Ancre Fund et lancés respectivement en décembre 2024 et juin 2025, ces projets n’étaient pas encore entrés dans leur phase opérationnelle. Selon le secrétaire général du ministère, Damas Mamba, la mise en place du comité marque le début effectif de la phase d’exécution.
Le COPIL est chargé de veiller à la bonne mise en œuvre des initiatives, notamment en approuvant les plans de travail et budgets annuels, en adoptant les rapports techniques et financiers semestriels et annuels, et en examinant les recommandations des comités de revue des projets. Il assure également l’analyse des difficultés opérationnelles, l’évaluation des arrangements institutionnels, et les révisions budgétaires nécessaires, conformément aux manuels du Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI) et du Fonds national REDD+ (FONAREDD).
Le premier projet, intitulé Agriculture sans déforestation des petites exploitations, est financé par le CAFI à hauteur de 2 millions de dollars pour une durée de 11 mois. Lancé officiellement le 22 décembre 2025, il vise à encourager les petits exploitants à adopter des pratiques agricoles durables, notamment sans recours au brûlis en zone forestière.
Le second, baptisé Projet d’approvisionnement en intrants et sédentarisation de l’agriculture paysanne, bénéficie d’un financement de 30 millions de dollars sur trois ans du FONAREDD. Lancé le 30 juin 2025, il a pour objectif d’améliorer la productivité paysanne et de stabiliser les pratiques agricoles dans la région.
Ces deux projets reposent sur trois axes majeurs : la distribution de semences locales certifiées pour accroître les rendements, la promotion du modèle “agriculteur-entrepreneur” afin de créer des microentreprises rurales, et la mise en place de paiements pour services environnementaux (PSE) visant à récompenser les pratiques agricoles durables et la reforestation.
Ronsard Luabeya
Lire aussi :
Avec le PROADER, la BAD contribue à la productivité agricole en RDC
Agriculture : plus de 440 millions $ de marchés publics ouverts en RDC
Financement de l’agriculture : la RDC en quête d’efficacité et de cohérence
Étain : hausse des prix jusqu’en 2027, mais la RDC reste à la marge de la valeur ajoutée
La Banque mondiale anticipe une hausse d’environ 10 % des prix de l’étain en 2025, suivie de nouvelles progressions de 3 % et 1,5 % respectivement en 2026 et 2027. Selon son rapport d’octobre 2025 sur les matières premières mondiales (Commodity Markets Outlook), les prix devraient passer de 30 066 dollars la tonne en 2024 à 33 000 dollars en 2025, 34 000 dollars en 2026 et 34 500 $ en 2027. Pour les deux premières années, les projections ont été révisées à la hausse de 2 000 et 2 500 dollars, par rapport à celles publiées en avril 2025.
Pour l’institution financière internationale, cette évolution s’explique par les tensions persistantes sur l’offre mondiale. « Le marché mondial de l’étain devrait rester tendu, compte tenu du nombre limité de nouveaux projets et de la vulnérabilité persistante aux perturbations géopolitiques et opérationnelles », indique la Banque mondiale.
Cette tendance devrait se maintenir malgré une reprise partielle de l’offre, notamment en Indonésie, après la levée des retards dans l’octroi des licences d’exportation, et en Birmanie, avec la remise en production de plusieurs mines arrêtées depuis 2023. Car, la demande mondiale devrait rester soutenue, portée par la croissance de la production de semi-conducteurs, de panneaux photovoltaïques et d’autres technologies liées à la transition énergétique.
Cette dynamique haussière est suivie en République démocratique du Congo (RDC), qui fait partie des principaux producteurs africains d’étain. En 2024, le pays a exporté 42 953 tonnes de concentré, selon les données officielles. Ces exportations provenaient principalement d’Alphamin, exploitant de la mine de Bisie, avec 26 932 tonnes, et des producteurs artisanaux, à hauteur de 15 853 tonnes.
Décalage des prix
Cependant, le pays profite encore peu de cette dynamique, faute d’une industrie locale de seconde transformation. Les prix de référence cités par la Banque mondiale concernent l’étain métal, tandis que la RDC n’exporte encore que du concentré. Cette situation limite la création de valeur ajoutée, réduit les retombées pour les artisans et diminue les recettes fiscales de l’État central et des provinces.
Les 26 932 tonnes de concentré exportées par Alphamin en 2024 ont été valorisées à 348,6 millions de dollars, soit 12 946 dollars la tonne. Or, les 17 865 tonnes de métal obtenues après fusion et raffinage ont été vendues la même année à 542 millions de dollars, soit plus de 30 300 dollars la tonne, selon les chiffres de l’entreprise. L’écart illustre le manque à gagner fiscal considérable pour l’État, qui perçoit ses redevances sur le concentré plutôt que sur le métal.
Les exportations d’étain congolais pourraient par ailleurs diminuer en 2025, en raison de la dégradation de la situation sécuritaire dans l’est du pays, principale zone de production. Face à l’avancée des rebelles de l’AFC/M23, Alphamin a dû suspendre ses activités en mars, avant de reprendre la production à la mi-avril, tout en révisant ses prévisions à la baisse. La compagnie table désormais sur 18 500 tonnes en 2025, contre 20 000 tonnes initialement prévues.
La situation pourrait également réduire les exportations artisanales transitant par les canaux officiels. Un rapport de Global Witness, publié en 2022, estimait déjà que 90 % des minerais 3T (tantale, étain et tungstène) exportés par le Rwanda provenaient illégalement de la RDC.
Pierre Mukoko avec l’Agence Ecofin
Lire aussi :
Bisie : Alphamin relève sa prévision à au moins 18 000 tonnes d’étain pour 2025
Mine d’étain de Bisie : Alphamin rate son objectif de production au 2e trimestre
DR Congo Leans on Alibaba, Isoftstone to Develop E-Commerce
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The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Minister of Digital Economy, Augustin Kibassa Maliba, met with Alibaba Group and Isoftstone Corporate officials in China.
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The discussions focused on adapting the Chinese e-commerce model for implementation in the DRC.
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The parties agreed to create a joint working group to formulate concrete proposals for e-commerce development.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Minister of Digital Economy, Augustin Kibassa Maliba, met with executives from Alibaba Group and Isoftstone Corporate, two major players in the digital sector. The meeting occurred on the sidelines of the Sino-African Forum on Economic, Trade, and Cultural Cooperation, held on November 7, 2025, in Jinhua, China.
The Ministry of Digital Economy reported the exchanges focused on the Chinese e-commerce model and its potential adaptation in the DRC. Participants addressed several key subjects, including regulation, technology, and establishing an effective digital ecosystem.
Consequently, the parties agreed to establish a joint working group. This group holds the mandate of deepening the reflection and formulating concrete proposals for e-commerce development in the DRC. The Ministry specified technical meetings will occur in the coming days. These meetings aim to finalize a strategic report for Minister Kibassa. This document will serve as the foundation for implementing a simplified and accessible national e-commerce model, particularly benefiting young Congolese entrepreneurs.
Alibaba Group, which Jack Ma founded in 1999, reaffirmed its interest in the African market. The Chinese giant considers the DRC a strategic hub for expanding its activities across the continent. Alibaba operates across online commerce, cloud computing, digital finance, logistics, and entertainment. The company utilizes platforms such as Alibaba.com, Taobao, Tmall, AliExpress, and Alipay, forming an integrated ecosystem connecting merchants, consumers, and service providers.
Founded in 2001, Isoftstone Group specializes in information technologies and digital transformation. The company provides solutions in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data, and smart cities. Isoftstone targets governments and companies operating in the telecommunications, energy, transport, finance, and health sectors.
This article was initially published in French by Ronsard Luabeya
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
La RDC veut s’appuyer sur Alibaba et Isoftstone pour développer le e- commerce
En marge du Forum sino-africain sur la coopération économique, commerciale et culturelle, tenu le 7 novembre 2025 à Jinhua, en Chine, le ministre congolais de l’Économie numérique, Augustin Kibassa Maliba, a rencontré les responsables des groupes chinois Alibaba Group et Isoftstone Corporate, deux acteurs majeurs du secteur numérique.
Selon le ministère de l’Économie numérique, les échanges ont porté sur le modèle chinois du commerce électronique et les possibilités de son adaptation en République démocratique du Congo (RDC). Plusieurs sujets clés ont été abordés, notamment la réglementation, la technologie et la mise en place d’un écosystème numérique performant.
À l’issue des discussions, les parties ont convenu de créer un groupe mixte de travail chargé d’approfondir la réflexion et de formuler des propositions concrètes pour le développement du e-commerce en RDC.
Le ministère a précisé que des réunions techniques se tiendront dans les prochains jours afin de finaliser un rapport stratégique destiné au ministre Kibassa. Ce document servira de base à la mise en œuvre d’un modèle national de commerce électronique, simplifié et accessible, notamment pour les jeunes entrepreneurs congolais.
Le groupe Alibaba, fondé en 1999 par Jack Ma, a réaffirmé son intérêt pour le marché africain, considérant la RDC comme un hub stratégique pour l’expansion de ses activités sur le continent. Présent dans le commerce en ligne, le cloud computing, la finance numérique, la logistique et le divertissement, le géant chinois opère à travers des plateformes telles que Alibaba.com, Taobao, Tmall, AliExpress et Alipay, formant un écosystème intégré reliant commerçants, consommateurs et prestataires de services.
Fondé en 2001, Isoftstone Group est spécialisé dans les technologies de l’information et la transformation numérique. L’entreprise fournit des solutions en intelligence artificielle, cloud computing, big data et villes intelligentes, destinées aux gouvernements et aux entreprises opérant dans les secteurs des télécommunications, de l’énergie, du transport, de la finance et de la santé.
Ronsard Luabeya
DRC Reviews Digital Revenue Collection Deal with PADS Corporation Ltd.
A public-private partnership (PPP) signed a year ago between the DRC Ministry of Transport and Pads Corporation Ltd. for the digitization and fee collection for the ministry is now under official review.
The reassessment follows formal objections from the state-owned shipping company, Lignes Maritimes Congolaises (LMC), which protested its exclusion from the project and the new distribution of maritime traffic fees set out in the contract.
To resolve the dispute, consultation meetings were held in Kinshasa on November 3 and 4, 2025. Participants included Transport Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba, Portfolio Minister Julie Mbuyi, LMC executives and the Pads Corporation steering committee.
Following the discussions, LMC Board Chairman Lambert Mende welcomed the talks, saying the initial meetings clarified how the partnership will operate and resulted in government adjustments, without giving further detail. The two ministers reportedly instructed experts from LMC and Pads Corporation to draft a procedural document outlining cooperation procedures between the two parties.
The PPP, signed in March 2024, covers the design, financing, operation and maintenance of an $11 million digital platform over 10 years for the automated collection of fees within the Transport Ministry. The project introduced a new fee structure for maritime traffic rights, which were previously allocated entirely to LMC: 10% is now designated for Pads Corporation, 17.5% for the operations of certain administrative bodies, and the remainder for LMC.
The state company has publicly criticized the new distribution, arguing it represents a loss of revenue and a reduction in its financial autonomy. The Ministry of Transport, for its part, described the PPP as a modernization initiative aimed at improving transparency and ensuring reliable revenue streams to support the reconstruction of LMC’s national fleet.
Established in 1974, Lignes Maritimes Congolaises oversees the shipping of Congolese goods abroad. In May 2025, the company announced plans to acquire two new vessels to modernize its fleet.
Ronsard Luabeya
DRC Halts CDM’s Sites Over Lubumbashi Pollution Incident
The copper and cobalt sites of the Chinese company Congo Dongfang Mining (CDM) in Lubumbashi have been suspended. The measure, announced on November 6, 2025, by the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Minister of Mines, Louis Watum Kabamba, will last an initial three months.
It targets the company’s operations following a major industrial pollution incident that affected several neighborhoods across the city.
During the suspension period, which may be extended, the copper and cobalt producer is required to continue paying all site staff in full, the minister said. CDM must also repair the environmental damage, compensate affected residents, and pay fines provided for in the Mining Code and applicable regulations.
Local media reported that contaminated water began leaking from CDM’s facilities in the Kasapa area of the Annexe commune, north of Lubumbashi, as early as Monday, November 3. The situation worsened sharply on November 4, when large volumes of water from the company’s retention pond spilled into surrounding areas, flooding in particular the Moïse market, which serves much of the city’s north.
Retention ponds are industrial basins designed to store and neutralize liquid effluents from mineral processing before discharge into the environment. A breach can release acidic, heavy metal-laden effluents that severely contaminate soil, homes, and waterways.
Eyewitnesses reported residents suffering skin burns after contact with the water, while viral images on social media showed dead domestic animals and fish floating in polluted streams, including the Lubumbashi River.
Minister Watum rushed to Lubumbashi on the night of November 5-6 to assess the situation. Onsite, CDM officials attributed the leak to a falling stone that they said damaged the pond’s impermeable lining and caused the toxic discharge.
The explanation failed to convince the minister, who posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account that the company’s discharge pond “does not meet any environmental standards, lacking an impermeable lining, structural stability, control mechanisms, or an emergency plan.”
Local media said the company took emergency measures to contain the pollution, including building a lime barrier to neutralize acidic water and using a pump to divert contaminated liquid into an old basin.
This is not the first incident involving CDM. Residents previously accused the company in 2022 of dumping polluted water into sewage systems and releasing toxic fumes from its operations.
The latest episode has reignited debate over the environmental accountability of mining companies in the DRC and the capacity of authorities to enforce strict standards in a sector often criticized for practices that endanger communities and ecosystems.
Timothée Manoke
Maniema: Ulindi Bridge Rehabilitation Set For 2027
Rehabilitation work on the strategically important Ulindi Bridge on National Road 31 (RN31) in Maniema province is now scheduled, a move expected to significantly boost agricultural and commercial trade in the region.
The announcement was made on November 4, 2025, in Kindu by Matthieu Kamulete Amisi, interim provincial coordinator of the Inclusive and Resilient Rural Development Support Program (PADRIR), during the second Conference on Mines, Energy and Infrastructure.
Amisi confirmed that the necessary funding for the project has been secured from the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID). While the total cost was not disclosed, technical studies are slated to begin in 2026, with rehabilitation work on the bridge expected to start in 2027.
The Ulindi Bridge, located between the towns of Kailo and Punia, is a key transport link for the province. Its restoration will reopen the RN31 to full traffic, connecting Kindu with major cities such as Kisangani, Goma, and Bukavu, and improving access to National Roads 1 and 2.
The project aims to ease the transport of farm goods and improve mobility for local residents. It is part of the PADRIR program, which seeks to strengthen road infrastructure, support regional economic growth, and improve market access in rural areas.
Boaz Kabeya
Truck Blockade on Bunia-Mahagi Road Raises Fears of Price Surge in Bunia
Fuel and food supplies to the city of Bunia in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are at risk after a key section of National Road No. 27 (RN27), which links Bunia to Mahagi in Ituri province, became almost impassable.
The disruption stems from the severe deterioration of the Tchulu Bridge–Jina stretch, located about 40 kilometers north of Bunia. Heavy rains have turned the road into a quagmire, leaving around 450 trucks carrying goods and fuel stranded, according to several local sources.
The ongoing blockage threatens Bunia’s supply lines, where stocks of essential goods are reportedly dwindling, fueling fears of inflation, Radio Okapi reported, citing a representative of local civil society.
Transport operators had already raised alarms about the road’s poor condition in September. They now say the 180-kilometer journey between Bunia and Mahagi takes at least four days to complete, up from about four hours before.
Despite the road’s critical state, a rehabilitation project has been underway on this section for the past two years. The work was awarded to the company ORC Construct under a contract lasting three to five years, funded by the National Road Maintenance Fund (FONER). However, civil society organizations contend that progress has been insignificant, calling the project ineffective as the road continues to deteriorate.
As a vital trade route, the RN27 links Ituri to several East African countries, including Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. Its prolonged blockage threatens to inflict heavy damage on the local economy and is expected to push up the cost of living in Bunia.
Ronsard Luabeya
DRC, Rwanda Sign Draft Economic Integration Framework Under U.S. Mediation
The governments of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have initialed the draft Regional Economic Integration Framework (REIF) in Washington, D.C., on November 7, 2025, with U.S. facilitation.
The framework defines priority areas for economic cooperation and development between the two neighbors and is part of efforts to implement their June 27, 2025, peace agreement. The initialing took place during the fourth meeting of the joint monitoring committee overseeing the accord.
This step clears the way for the framework’s official signing, initially expected on September 27, 2025. However, Kinshasa reiterated that progress on the REIF depends on full implementation of the security commitments contained in the peace deal.
“The framework will take effect once the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) and the operational order agreed by both sides are properly implemented,” the DRC Ministry of Communication and Media said in a statement released a day after the signing. “For the DRC, lasting peace must come before economic cooperation.”
Adopted in Luanda in October 2024, the CONOPS outlines plans to neutralize the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and ensure the withdrawal of Rwandan forces from Congolese territory. The operational order, setting out implementation details, was due to take effect on October 1, 2025, but its enforcement remains uncertain.
The DRC’s communication ministry said the joint monitoring committee acknowledged delays in carrying out the peace accord and that both parties agreed on new measures to speed up implementation, though no specifics were disclosed.
The execution of the CONOPS also partly depends on stalled negotiations between the DRC and the AFC/M23 rebels. Talks meant to produce a final agreement by August 18, 2025, under the Doha declaration of principles signed on July 19, have yet to yield results. This indicates that the resumption of economic cooperation between Kinshasa and Kigali remains uncertain for now.
The REIF targets five areas of cooperation: agriculture, energy, mining, telecommunications, and infrastructure. As set out in the peace accord, both countries aim to use the framework to boost cross-border trade, attract investment in critical mineral supply chains, and enhance transparency in resource management. The goal is to curb illicit trade networks and promote shared prosperity, particularly for local communities.
U.S. officials said successful implementation of the framework could attract new international investors, including American firms. Several companies in the critical minerals and energy sectors are pushing for the swift conclusion of the deal, which underpins multiple regional development projects.
Pierre Mukoko
Rawbank Named DRC’s Safest Bank in Global Finance 2025 Ranking
Rawbank, a leading financial institution in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has been named the country’s safest bank in Global Finance magazine’s World’s Safest Banks 2025 ranking.
The award, announced on November 6, 2025, is based on credit ratings from major rating agencies, including Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s, and Fitch Ratings, as well as each institution’s asset size and overall financial strength.
Rawbank succeeds Equity Banque Commerciale du Congo (Equity BCDC), the 2024 winner. According to Global Finance, the change follows the withdrawal of Equity BCDC’s Moody’s rating in December 2024, after its parent company, Kenya’s Equity Group Holdings, decided to consolidate ratings at the group level.
With a B3 rating and stable outlook from Moody’s since May 2024, Rawbank became the only Congolese bank holding an active international rating , a key requirement for inclusion in the 2025 ranking of the world’s safest banks.
The bank said its performance reflects ongoing investments in digitalization, through its IllicoCash and RawbankOnline platforms, and its reinforced compliance framework, including stronger anti-money-laundering controls. It also cited progress in corporate governance, such as the creation of a Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Committee, as factors that favorably influenced Global Finance's assessment.
“This recognition reflects Rawbank’s discipline, professionalism, and commitment to maintaining the highest standards of reliability and service,” said Mustafa Rawji, Rawbank’s Chief Executive Officer. “It rewards the collective efforts of our teams and the continued trust of our clients. We will keep investing in stability, innovation, and compliance to make Rawbank a benchmark for banking in Africa, from the DRC.”
DR Congo’s banking leader
As the largest bank in the DRC, Rawbank controls about 30% of the market, serves more than two million clients, and reported nearly $5 billion in assets, according to its 2024 annual report.
The bank’s net income rose 11.4% to $212.7 million, while its solvency ratio exceeded 14%, comfortably above the Central Bank of Congo’s minimum regulatory threshold.
According to Moody’s, these indicators show a strong capacity to absorb macroeconomic shocks, despite an environment marked by exchange-rate volatility and dependence on the mining sector.
Series of international distinctions
The Global Finance award adds to several other international honors Rawbank has earned recently. The bank was named Best Bank in DRC 2024 by Euromoney, Best Digital Bank 2024 for the DRC by Global Finance, and was also recognized for compliance and governance excellence by The Banker and the Financial Afrik Awards 2024.
These awards are expected to strengthen confidence in deposit protection, improve access to international credit lines from institutions such as the IFC, African Development Bank (AfDB), and Proparco, and enhance Rawbank’s ability to finance businesses and households through its expanding deposit base.
Pierre Mukoko & Boaz Kabeya