In the National Development Plan (NDP) 2022-2026, which are the priority economic sectors for investments?

The National Development Plan (PND 2022-2026) is the implementation of the social program of His Excellency Mr. President of the Republic Denis Sassou Nguesso, "Together, let's continue the march", which places economic diversification and the objectives of sustainable, resilient and inclusive economic growth at the heart of its concerns.

It is in this capacity that, from the point of view of API-Congo, in connection with our mission, as prescribed by Law 19-2012 of August 22, 2012, and which includes the promotion of Congo as an investment destination and the facilitation of private investments with a view to increasing investments in all sectors of economic activity, the priority sectors for investments fall within the main strategic priority axes retained by the PND 2022-2026 and also the cross-cutting areas which support the development of these strategic sectors.

From this point of view, we generally encourage and support investors who direct their investment decision in Agriculture in the broad sense, industry, tourism, digital technology, Special Economic Zones, Real Estate, basic infrastructure and more generally cross-cutting activity sectors which contribute to achieving the objectives of the PND 2022-2026 such as energy and other basic infrastructure.

What is the role of the private sector in the implementation of the 2022-2026 PND?

Given the socio-economic objectives pursued by the PND 2022-2026, the private sector is called upon to play a leading role in the implementation of this plan.

Indeed, the State expects a lot from the private sector, which has been, to a certain extent, involved in the development of this plan and has been made aware on several occasions of the expected participation of the private sector in the implementation of the PND. Obviously, there is no question of the private sector investing without a hitch at the convenience of the State. This would be nonsense because the private sector is expected to expect a return on its investments. Therefore, for the State, it is a question of creating the conditions to encourage the private sector to support the implementation of the expected investments in the priority sectors of the PND 2022-2026 and for the private sector, it is a question of seizing the opportunities presented by the mature projects of the PND 2022-2026. Private sector participation is expected to reach 70% of investments in the financing of PND projects, including within the framework of investments in the form of Public Private Partnership.

The importance of the role given to private sector intervention in achieving the objectives of the PND can be summed up in the statement of the Prime Minister, Head of Government, who said in one of his speeches that "the Government will be judged on its ability to mobilize private investors for investment in the sectors of the PND 2022-2026."

The AfCFTA's authorized bodies have finalized the legal review of the three main AfCFTA protocols, including the investment protocol. What will the latter bring to Congo in terms of FDI?

Congo is a State party to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, which it signed on March 18, 2018, ratified on December 27, 2018, and the law promulgated on February 7, 2019. Since then, the Government has been working to raise awareness among economic actors on the issues of the AfCFTA through the popularization of the national strategy for the implementation of the AfCFTA. 

The provisions of this investment protocol, which API-Congo was involved in negotiating on behalf of Congo, are designed to encourage intra-African investment and trade, but also to make Africa an investment destination for both investors from outside Africa and African investors seeking to invest in other countries on the continent. 

A number of investment provisions are now common across the continent.

The integration of the concept of sustainable development into this protocol is now a vision shared by all. This means that the States Parties agree to facilitate investments that take into account and reconcile the concerns of countries regarding their economic and social development and environmental protection. 

Another innovation is the establishment of a Pan-African Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, which is intended to give new impetus to the national investment promotion agencies of AfCFTA member countries and create the conditions for attracting and increasing sustainable intra-African investments.

Congo, which already has a tradition of attracting foreign investment, particularly in the oil sector, intends to redouble its efforts and optimize the necessary reforms to align with best practices in attracting and retaining investment in order to position the country among the preferred destinations for investors and investments from all horizons, including in non-oil sectors, conducive to deepening the diversification of the national economy.     

You are now Special Advisor to the Prime Minister. What does your role at the Prime Minister's Office entail?

Indeed, I enjoy the confidence of the Prime Minister, Head of Government, who has kindly appointed me Special Advisor, responsible for the Promotion of Investments and the improvement of the Business Climate.

My mission is to assist the Prime Minister, Head of Government, so that he can take measures adapted to the needs of our private sector in terms of improving the business climate.

I must say that it is an exhilarating task, but it is also very restrictive and arduous in terms of the expected results. Because, as you know, the business climate in particular is everyone's business, and the issue is cross-cutting.

Reforms and texts are being developed, but if everyone, wherever they are, in the business sphere and in the administration and generally in the investment environment, does not participate in the effective application of the texts taken and the effective implementation of the reforms undertaken, all our efforts will be in vain, and it is precisely at this level that the task is difficult.

My mission as Prime Minister therefore includes a significant part of raising awareness among stakeholders in the business climate and the investment environment on the importance and urgency of becoming aware of the issues inherent in the business climate and the promotion of investments and therefore in the marketing of our country as a breeding ground for opportunities just waiting to be exploited and as a destination for all-round investments.

Among other things, in the background, there is the public investor dialogue that must be constantly encouraged and woven by all means, in order to best bring together and maintain permanent consultation between public administrations and investors, and thus create the conditions that allow for the continuous improvement of the business climate and the attractiveness of our country. It is at this price that Congo will be able to effectively align itself with international developments, by equipping itself with increased capacities to attract and retain useful and innovative investments, favorable to the advocated economic diversification.    

 This is what we are working towards and it is in consideration of this vision of things that the first edition of the "Investors' Breakfast" was organized on February 25, 2023. This brought together investors and companies under Congolese law around the Prime Minister and certain members of the Government, with a view to a direct and frank dialogue which was well appreciated by the companies. This event, which is the first of its kind, will have allowed investors established in Congo to frankly and directly express their grievances to the government on the one hand, and on the other hand, it will have led to resolutions likely to significantly improve the business climate and the investment environment in several aspects.  

Furthermore, the Prime Minister, Head of Government, has issued several circulars to public administrations in order to prohibit certain behaviors criticized by the private sector.

Eight women currently serve in the government, out of 37 ministers. Is the role of women in Congo more important in the business world?

To date, we have approximately 201,000 women in government. This isn't so bad, even if we're still below the rule of 301,000 women in decision-making positions. There are many large, so-called developed countries that have a lower rate than Congo.

I would also like to take the opportunity you are giving me through this question to highlight a fact that is not often mentioned and which is to the advantage of our country: equality between men and women in terms of salaries. It is not said often enough, we are one of the countries that stands out for the fact that men and women, with equal skills, earn the same salary. The question of gender does not even arise when it comes to the remuneration of employees or managers. As you well know, this is not the case in many countries, including some developed countries.

As for the place of women in the business world, it is very important and there are many women in business in Congo. And if we were to add the social dimension to these businesses, I would even say that women are the foundation of the businesses that truly feed the population in Congo, because they are the owners of very small and small businesses, both in the informal sector and in the formal craft sector, which provide jobs, including in the form of self-employment. Everyone knows how much these sectors of activity form the foundation and crucible of very small and SMEs/SMIs that constitute the bulk of the Congolese economy. Considering only the formal sector, according to statistics from the Congolese Agency for Business Creation (ACPCE), on an annual average, between 2015 and 2021, 26% of businesses created were created by women. 

Congo therefore has significant potential for women entrepreneurs and it is no coincidence that the 12th edition of the International Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FIED) bringing together more than twenty (20) countries under the theme "Let's support African companies to strengthen the capacities of processing sectors, accelerators of "Made in Africa", was held in Congo, in Brazzaville, from July 31 to August 5, 2023, under the high authority and patronage of Mrs. Antoinette Sassou Nguesso, wife of the Head of State.