Germany plans to commit €161 million, or about $189 million at current exchange rates, to technical and financial cooperation projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo over the 2025–2026 period. The announcement was made at an economic forum held in Berlin from December 8 to 9, 2025, which brought together Congolese and German business operators around sectors including agriculture, energy, water, mining, and pharmaceuticals.

The funding will support projects in several priority areas, including security, mining governance, biodiversity and forest protection, access to drinking water, and the development of renewable energy. On peace and social cohesion, Berlin plans targeted support for eastern provinces—North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, and Tanganyika—with a focus on assisting conflict victims and affected communities.

In the mining sector, Germany aims to promote transparency, improve the business environment, and support economic development, with particular attention to the Lobito corridor. This strategic infrastructure seeks to connect mining regions in the DR Congo to the Atlantic port of Lobito in Angola.

On biodiversity and forests, the announced interventions target conservation of the Congo Basin, with expected benefits for local populations.

In renewable energy, Germany plans to support implementation of the national energy compact and the Mission 300 initiative. Special emphasis is placed on the Inga III hydropower project, presented as a key driver for electricity access and industrial development.

These initiatives align with priorities set out in the National Strategic Development Plan (PNSD) 2024–2028 and the government’s Action Program (PAG).

By way of background, during the last intergovernmental negotiations in 2023, Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development committed €90 million to the DR Congo. In addition, a major humanitarian assistance program deployed in 2024 totaled an estimated €54.7 million.

Ronsard Luabeya