The Democratic Republic of Congo aims to attract new investors

The Democratic Republic of Congo boosted its credit rating from 5.1 to 5.5 between 2022 and 2023, according to thepan-African rating agency Bloomfield. The sub-Saharan country has one of the highest growth rates in the region.

The DRC gained 40 basis points in the space of a year which is helping to boost the nation's economic profile. 

The second edition of the Congolese Country Risk Conference took place in Kinshasa on 28 June; an event designed to attract more investment and make the DRC a lasting success. 

"This is an endogenous exercise. The Democratic Republic of Congo wants it. It is an opportunity for dialogue between all the stakeholders, first and foremost the private sector" Nicolas Kazadi, the DRC's finance minister, told Euronews. 

The DRC continues to face real challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, arbitrary taxes and insecurity in the east of the country. 

Since 1996, six million people have died in eastern DRC, the epicentre of ethnic tensions in the country and the fight over vital natural resources. 

A climate of instability is bad news for potential investors.  

In recent years, the government has stepped up reforms and placed an emphasis on:

These three factors are necessary to cement the country's credibility, particularly in the eyes of private investors and to ensure that social issues, job creation and wealth creation are not relegated to a blind spot.

“Generally speaking, I would say that this is a very good thing and that these are very good initiatives. Because you can feel the government's desire to do the right thing” said Marie Chantal Kaninda, the Chief Executive Officer of Glencore in the DRC.

While the DRC has vast mineral deposits it is looking to diversify its economy. For the banks to