Browsing: Democratic Republic of the Congo

IMF Africa's debt debt reduction
  • The IMF counsels that successful debt stabilization requires measures to strengthen public finances and institutions, alongside pro-growth structural reforms and a sound macroeconomic environment.
  • Fiscal adjustment is likely to result in stronger, more durable reductions in debt when complemented by pro-growth structural reforms and by measures to strengthen institutional frameworks.

In the context of high global uncertainty, tighter global financial conditions, and rising borrowing costs, concerns about sub-Saharan Africa’s debt vulnerabilities are mounting. But the region is tackling this issue head-on and public debt ratios have stabilized on average.

Our analytical note in the International Monetary Funds (IMF)’s latest Regional Economic Outlook for sub-Saharan Africa uses a new data set to highlight when, how often, to what extent, and how debt stabilization was achieved.

Surprising frequency

Contrary to perception, countries in the region have often been able to stabilize or reduce their debt ratios without debt restructuring. With more than …

Critical raw materials mining in Africa
  • In the six months to June 30, EU identified four major mining projects in Africa among its 13 globally strategic targets under the Critical Raw Materials Act.
  • These projects spread across Malawi, South Africa, Madagascar and Zambia will receive direct EU financing and technical support.
  • EU sees Africa as a key supplier of critical raw materials essential to decarbonisation, green technologies, and clean energy value chains.

In the six months to June 30, 2025, the European Union significantly ramped up its financial and technical support for Africa’s mining sector, aligning its foreign investment strategy with the continent’s growing role in the global energy transition. This renewed focus underscores Africa’s vast potential as a supplier of critical raw materials that are essential to decarbonisation, green technologies, and clean energy value chains.

In June, the EU identified four Africa-based initiatives among its 13 globally strategic projects under the Critical Raw Materials Act. …

mining reforms in Africa
  • Ministers of Mining in Africa are rallying behind progressive policy shifts to empower communities, formalize small-scale mining, and boost local value addition across the continent.
  • They note that mining is no longer just about digging minerals out of the ground; it’s about ensuring those minerals translate into schools, roads, clean water, and decent jobs.
  • Policymakers note that lasting policy change depends on strengthening institutions, building trust with communities, and ensuring access to capital and training.

Deep inside Africa’s abundant mineral wealth lies a bitter reality: while the continent is home to some of the world’s richest deposits of gold, cobalt, copper, and rare earth elements, much of its population remains disconnected from the value chain and the huge benefits of these natural assets.

At the just concluded Mining in Motion 2025 Summit in Accra, ministers from Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) came together to …

DRC's cobalt | US | Democratic Republic of Congo
  • The strategic manoeuvrings of the United States in the DRC’s cobalt mines serve as an international yardstick for how well it can balance economic aspirations with ethical imperatives.
  • The DRC has become embroiled in a complicated geopolitical chess game, and it is no longer merely a national asset but a worldwide commodity.
  • The strategic importance of cobalt from the Congo to the United States exemplifies the necessity for a multifaceted solution that upholds human dignity in the workplace, safeguards natural resources, and encourages economic resilience.

Conspicuously rising to critical importance on a global scale, cobalt has been overshadowed by the world’s precious metals. Although it is sometimes overlooked in resource talks in favour of its more glamorous cousins, gold and oil, this silvery-blue element—a byproduct of copper and nickel mining—is an essential component of modern technology.

Nevertheless, it is a mineral of the future because it powers electronic devices such …

www.theexchange.africa

Regional carrier Jambojet has commenced operations to North Kivu Province Capital, Goma in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, to become the first low-cost carrier to fly the route, and also the only direct flight between Nairobi and the Eastern DRC city.

In a statement, the airline said it will be flying twice, on Monday and Friday, from its hub at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, to Goma International Airport. This is set to increase to 4 times weekly, as demand grows.

Jambojet Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Karanja Ndegwa, said flying to Goma is one step towards growing Jambojet’s footprint in Africa.

“We are excited about the growth prospects in the region. We have an ambitious plan to grow our network, and we are proud to be the first low-cost airline to venture into this route,” said Karanja.

Jambojet currently flies to 6 destinations including Mombasa, …