Julien PALUKU KAHONGYA
Julien Paluku Kahongya is an influential Congolese politician currently serving as Minister of Foreign Trade of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a position he has held since May 2024. Hailing from North Kivu province, he has risen through the ranks of the administration and the national political landscape thanks to an extensive academic and professional background. Academically, Julien Paluku holds a *Diplôme d’Études Approfondies* (DEA)—a postgraduate research degree—in Political and Administrative Sciences from the University of Kinshasa. He also holds a bachelor's degree in Health and Community Development from the *Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs*, a qualification that reflects his commitment to human and institutional development.
His professional experience spans more than two decades. Prior to his current role, he served as Minister of Industry from 2019 to 2024, a period during which he championed the country's industrial revival through ambitious policies such as the creation of Special Economic Zones. From 2007 to 2018, he led North Kivu province as governor, navigating a particularly complex environment marked by significant security and economic challenges. He also served in the National Assembly in 2011, 2018, and 2023, and in the Provincial Assembly starting in 2006. His career began in territorial administration: he served as the administrator of the Lubero territory and subsequently as mayor of the cities of Butembo and Beni between 2003 and 2006. Actively engaged in the political arena, Julien Paluku is the moral leader of the *Bloc Uni pour la Renaissance et l’Émergence du Congo* (BUREC) party and heads the *Alliance Bloc 50* (A/B50) political coalition. He is also an influential figure within the *Union Sacrée* (Sacred Union), the presidential coalition, where he mobilizes a political base comprising numerous national and provincial deputies as well as municipal councilors. A visionary leader with a strong track record on the ground, Julien Paluku embodies a new generation of leaders committed to anchoring the DRC’s development in stability, industrial transformation, and regional and international economic openness.