Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, November 28, 2025: Following a joint review, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) have approved a plan to improve the performance of the institution’s project portfolio in the Central African country. The Country Portfolio Performance Review, as the process is officially known, was conducted in the capital Kinshasa from November 17th to 20th.
The agreed plan emphasizes increased ownership of projects by sectoral ministries, a concerted effort to support ongoing projects to maturity, and a more coordinated investment plan. It also includes digitizing implementation and reporting processes, building the capacity of project teams, and collaborating more proactively to reduce lead times. Additionally, a system for evaluating the performance of the project management department and incentives to accelerate project implementation and optimize effectiveness have been introduced.
During the three-day review, government technical teams under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance’s Projects and Program Monitoring Division and the World Bank Group’s Project Management Division examined each operation in detail in thematic workshops, assessed progress, identified challenges, and proposed appropriate corrective measures and concrete actions for effective implementation.
Yamba Kazadi Gracia, Deputy Finance Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, told the review board: “It is essential that projects financed by the African Development Bank function well in order to meet the legitimate expectations of the people.” “Every dollar unspent represents a school unbuilt, a road unrepaired, and a health center unequipped. We have a moral and political obligation to turn this money into tangible results for our nation’s development.”
Mohamed Sherif, World Bank Group Deputy Director for Central Africa, praised the quality of the dialogue with Congolese authorities and reaffirmed the Pan-African institution’s commitment to helping achieve national priorities.
He said: “This meeting demonstrates our shared commitment to the national vision and reaffirms our support for key national priorities…That is why we need to work more closely together to increase the effectiveness of our projects and programs and their impact on the development and well-being of the Congolese people.”
The country portfolio review serves as a milestone moment in the ongoing strategic and operational dialogue between the Group and the countries in which we finance our operations.
The African Development Bank Group’s active portfolio in the Democratic Republic of the Congo totals more than $1.6 billion and covers agriculture, transport, energy, drinking water and sanitation, governance, human capital, and digital sectors. The Bank’s portfolio in the DRC is one of the Group’s largest portfolios in Central Africa in terms of commitments.
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