MINISTRY OF FOREIGN TRADE: MEETING: ESTABLISHMENT OF A ROADMAP FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY PROGRAM DOCUMENT, FOLLOWING THE NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON STRENGTHENING THE PRODUCTIVE CAPACITIES OF THE DRC HELD FROM MARCH 17 TO 18, 2026 IN KINSHASA
The work of the high-level National Workshop on strengthening the productive capacities of the Democratic Republic of Congo, held in Kinshasa from March 17 to 18, enabled political decision-makers, the private sector, academics and civil society actors to identify gaps and propose possible solutions to promote industrialization, economic diversification, and inclusive growth as well as the promotion of exports of products made in DRC on the international market; elements which will contribute to the development of the Country Program, and this, within the framework of modernization of partnership between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development-UNCTAD
To accelerate the development of this holistic program, a roadmap has just been put in place, with the reliability phase set for March 19 to 20, 2026, the diagnosis phase scheduled between April - July 2026, the validation phase between September and October 2026 and the donor mobilization phase, set for 2027
For the Minister of Foreign Trade, Julien Paluku Kahongya, the holding of the National Workshop allowed solid foundations to be laid within the framework of cooperation between the DRC and UNCTAD, an outcome of the economic and commercial diplomacy carried out under the leadership of the President of the Republic, Félix Tshisekedi Tshilombo.
For his part, Mushie Belelegn, Head of the Productive Capacity and Sustainable Development branch within UNCTAD, reassured the Congolese Government that the expertise of his organization is now made available to the DRC to realize this dream which involves the establishment of integrated and coherent public policies, with the contribution of the private sector.
Note that the specialized technical training, dedicated to the Productive Capacities Index analysis tools, was launched this Thursday, and in which experts from public and private services are taking part.
