The European Union (EU) and the Team Europe initiative have committed €1 billion to help establish the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Jozef Sikali, European Commissioner for Partnerships, announced the commitment at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Sikali spoke after a presentation by Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi.
"The European Union and its member states united under the Team Europe initiative, are committed to pooling their resources, projects, and investments to the tune of one billion euros along this corridor. I am pleased to announce that we have decided to mobilize an additional 42 million euros in grants, with the ambition of doubling this amount very quickly," Sikali stated.
Established by a decree signed on January 15, 2025, the Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor spans 544,270 square kilometers from east to west across the DRC. The protected area thus covers about 25% of the country's territory. The project aims to promote a green economy while preserving more than 100,000 square kilometers of primary forests, reinforcing the DRC's role in combating global warming.
500,000 jobs expected
According to President Tshisekedi, the initiative draws on lessons from the Virunga National Park project, combining forest conservation with environmental protection, sustainable job creation, food security, and conflict prevention.
"This corridor is not only a large-scale project but also a genuine opportunity for integrated transformation. It will generate more than 500,000 jobs, a significant portion of which will be dedicated to reintegrating demobilized youth from armed groups," Tshisekedi emphasized. A statement from the Congolese presidency indicates that the project should gulp a billion dollars in investment over the next three to four years.
The DRC is rich in strategic mining resources essential for the global economic and energy transition, which the World Bank values at around $24 trillion. Mining is the DRC’s main source of export and public financing revenues. In recent years, Congolese authorities have intensified efforts to maximize profits from their mineral resources. Among others, they renegotiated some contracts, increased the State’s stakes in assets, and ramped up control on exports and spending by international partners.
However, progress in improving living standards for the population has been slow. The gross national income per capita stands at just $1,560 in purchasing power parity, with many still living near or below the poverty line. This situation forces reliance on unsustainable cooking solutions like charcoal, which constitutes 67% of energy expenditure in the country and fuels a market valued at $4 billion annually, in an energy sector globally estimated at over $6 billion.
A significant supporter
The Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor aims to address these challenges by generating additional income for communities through mobility solutions that utilize renewable energies such as hydrogen and biofuels. The project also presents opportunities for private-sector investment aligned with these goals. The decree establishing the protected area includes tax incentives for conservation and development projects.
John Kerry, former U.S. Secretary of State and current Special Envoy for Climate Change, supports the initiative. "As a representative of the private sector, I pledge to continue working with my colleagues to make these projects a success. There's nothing worse than announcing a promising initiative without making it a reality. That won't be the case here. This project will happen," Kerry stated. The former American official is now Vice President of Galvanize Climate Solutions, an organization that mobilizes capital on a global scale to finance sustainable investments.
This article was initially published in French by Georges Auréole Bamba
Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho
