4 new laws that will cost DR Congo $1 billion

Presented by Finance Minister Doudoune Fwamba during a Council of Ministers meeting on June 6, chaired by President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi, these laws aim to bolster the nation’s public finance sector and drive transformative projects in climate resilience, governance, transport infrastructure, and energy development.

According to the minutes of the meeting, the loan and credit agreements signed with the IDA in May and June 2025 will cover:

• Urban Flood Resilience Project ($200 million): Loan agreement No. 78-03, signed May 28, 2025, to strengthen infrastructure in Kinshasa and Kalemie against flooding, addressing the DRC’s vulnerability to climate change.
• Governance, Transparency, and Economic Resilience ($600 million): Credit Agreements No. 78-01 and 78, signed May 28, 2025, to enhance public financial management and market liberalisation, critical for a country ranked 164 out of 174 on the 2020 Human Capital Index.
• Inga 3 Development Project ($250 million): Credit Agreements 7816-ZR and 6815, signed June 4, 2025, for the first phase of a $1 billion program to advance the Inga 3 hydropower project, part of the Grand Inga complex with a potential of 70 GW, addressing the DRC’s 21% electrification rate.
• Transport and Connectivity Development Project ($340.2 million): Credit Agreements No. 7818-ZR and 7817, signed June 4, 2025, for $115.2 million and $225 million, respectively, to fund 200 km of highways and a 700-meter bridge over the Lualaba River, improving trade in the nation.

These initiatives align with the DRC’s National Energy Compact and the Africa-wide Mission 300, aiming to increase electricity access to 62% by 2030. The World Bank’s DRC portfolio now exceeds $7 billion, with $7.023 billion across 18 national and two regional projects as of March 31, 2025.

The $1.49 billion package, while vital for development, adds to the DRC’s debt burden, with a GDP of approximately $72 billion in 2024.