Congo to host InvestDRC Forum in Johannesburg on November 22

September 07, 2019: The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will host its first-ever InvestDRC Forum on November 22, 2019, in Johannesburg. The move comes is in regards with Congolese president Felix Tshisekedi's first state visit to South Africa to meet president Cyril Ramaphosa.

Organised under the auspices of the government of DRC, InvestDRC is the premier platform for networking and high-level discussions on the opportunities available in the DRC and how to overcome investor challenges. It will unite intra-African and Congolese investors in their mission to unlock new potential across diverse sectors through infrastructure. Following an opening address by the president, the programme will feature keynotes by cabinet ministers.

South Africa is one of DRC's closest trade and diplomatic partners. The countries share 37 bilateral agreements, the most that DRC has with any country. It is expected that three more bilateral agreements will be signed during the visit.

"We in the DRC consider bilateral relations with South Africa to be very important," said Bene M'Poko, Congolese ambassador to South Africa. "The two presidents will be meeting for the first time to consolidate the excellent relationship between our countries."

InvestDRC will bring together an elite class of ministers and senior-level government officials and top executives of private sector companies and place them directly in front of the investors who are ready to embrace the opportunities on offer across DRC's economy. The event will gather more than 400 participants spanning the public and private sector spectrum. Tshisekedi's first state visit to South Africa creates a solid platform to strengthen bilateral relations through new trade deals between both countries. InvestDRC is engaging several business associations and stakeholders to participate in the event, including the Minerals Council South Africa, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Business France, the African Energy Chamber, and major financial institutions.

"This is a new presidency and a new era for the DRC. Through the InvestDRC Campaign, the government is showing its strong commitment to creating an enabling business environment, to attract investment in crucial sectors and to enhance trade relations with the international community, including South Africa," said Anita Kruger, director of InvestDRC.

The InvestDRC Summit is part of a broader investment promotion campaign to highlight investment opportunities in various sectors of the country through the participation of the DRC's government and leadership, companies, and investors. A comprehensive investment report called InvestDRC to be released in Q1 2020 will unite the Congolese public and private sectors and present DRC as a dynamic and forward-thinking investment destination.