Transport infrastructure, food sovereignty, industrialization and sustainable forest management: the decisions taken at the Ministerial Council meeting define a strategy aimed at structural investments with the aim of returning the DRC to the status of a regional economic power. From the Lobito Corridor to the national forest policy and the revival of agriculture, the government is demonstrating its commitment to lay the foundation for sustainable growth, striving to turn the country's enormous potential into levers of development and prosperity.
Since taking office, Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo has consistently emphasized the same goal: to make the Democratic Republic of the Congo a country capable of turning its enormous natural resources into an engine of development. This ambition is gradually being translated into a series of economic reforms, infrastructure projects and international partnerships designed to bring the DRC back into the main African and global economic chains. The adopted documents show a vision based on three priorities: modernizing the transport infrastructure, ensuring food sovereignty, and turning the Congo's forest heritage into a tool for sustainable development.
One of the key decisions was the approval of a public-private partnership with Mota-Engil to restore the Dilolo–Kolwezi–Lubumbashi–Sakania railway line. This project is the Congolese component of the Lobito Corridor, which today is considered one of the most strategically important infrastructure projects in South Africa. For decades, the Congolese railway network suffered from chronic underfunding, which significantly limited the country's competitiveness, despite the abundance of mineral resources. The government's goal goes beyond just repairing tracks. We are talking about creating a full-fledged economic corridor capable of optimizing the transportation of minerals, reducing logistical costs, stimulating industrial investment and strengthening the integration of the DRC into regional and international markets.
According to the Council of Ministers, this rehabilitation should contribute to the development of an economic ecosystem with high financial, social and geostrategic effects around the Lobito Corridor. With the global energy transition increasing demand for critical minerals produced in the DRC, the availability of modern infrastructure is becoming a matter of both competitiveness and economic sovereignty.
Another priority of the Government concerns the transformation of the agricultural sector. Despite having about 80 million hectares of arable land, the DRC continues to import a significant portion of food. This dependence places a heavy burden on foreign exchange reserves and makes the country vulnerable to fluctuations in international markets. The Council of Ministers approved the organization of the agricultural campaign 2026-2027, which aims to significantly increase national production of corn, rice and other food crops. The program provides for the distribution of improved seeds, fertilizers, and agricultural resources, increased technical support for producers, and continued information campaigns in various provinces. In addition to increasing the harvest, the goal is to gradually strengthen food sovereignty and reduce the cost of food imports.
The government is not limited to annual agricultural campaigns. The Ministers also approved the financial participation of the state in the feasibility studies of eight structural agricultural projects. Irrigation, production clusters, agro-industrial processing, agricultural logistics: these studies are aimed at preparing large-scale investments that can attract donors and private investors. This approach reflects the evolution of government planning: the availability of technically sound projects to accelerate their financing and implementation. In the context of competition between African States for attracting international capital, the quality of project preparation is becoming a determining factor.
Among the significant measures is the resumption of the work of the Centers for Improvement, Adaptation and Production of Agricultural Seeds (CAAPSA). Although large-scale infrastructure projects attract more media attention, this reform can significantly affect the efficiency of the agro-industrial complex in the long term. The key factor in increasing yields is the use of seeds adapted to regional climatic conditions, combined with competent technical support. The country's leadership considers the reopening of these centers necessary for the sustainable modernization of the agricultural sector.
The approval of the National Forest Policy for 2026-2035 is becoming an important strategic step. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has the second largest tropical forests in the world, plays a key role in the international climate dialogue. The government is striving to move beyond the country's «carbon sink» status. The new strategy is aimed at improving the management of the industry, increasing the transparency of environmental management, the active participation of local communities and attracting international investment. It is important to prove that forest protection can generate income, create jobs and stimulate regional development.
These decisions are not isolated initiatives. They fit into a broader policy pursued over several years, which is characterized by the development of transport infrastructure, modernization of production sectors, reforms of the business climate and the search for new economic partnerships. The Lobito Corridor, agricultural investments and forest policy follow the same logic: creating conditions for growth based on production, local processing and regional integration. This approach also aims to diversify the engines of the Congolese economy in order to reduce its dependence solely on mineral exports.
The adoption of these projects marks a new stage in the economic strategy pursued by President Felix Antoine Tshilombo Tshisekedi and his Government. This reflects the desire to invest simultaneously in infrastructure, agriculture and sustainable management of natural resources, three sectors that are considered essential for the development of the DRC. However, as with any government policy, the real reach of these decisions will depend on their effective implementation, mobilization of funding, adherence to schedules, and the ability of institutions to complete projects. These areas will be evaluated based on the actual implemented infrastructure, improvement of agricultural production, sustainable use of forests and their impact on the living conditions of the population. For the Government, the decisions of the Council of Ministers represent a new step in realizing the country's ambitions for economic transformation.
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