The Democratic Republic of Congo has faced economic challenges due to overreliance on natural resources, mismanagement, and corruption. It has dilapidated infrastructure and poor governance, ranking near the bottom of the Doing Business report. To unlock financial opportunities, the DRC needs to mobilize domestic resources through modernizing tax systems and improving revenue administration. It also requires addressing illicit financial flows and establishing national ownership over financing programs focused on education, health, agriculture, infrastructure, and institutional reform.

1. B Y S E N I A N H A M O
Unlocking Financial Opportunities
in Congo, Democratic Republic

2. Overeliance on natural resources
economic mismanagement
high level of corruption
dilapidated infrastructure
poor political accountability and governanve
poor governanceBottom of the doing business report

3. -20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
GDP Growth
GDP Growth

4. 0
5
10
15
20
25
1940 1960 1980 2000 2020
General government final consumption
expenditure (% of GDP)
General government final
consumption expenditure (%
of GDP)

5. W H A T A R E T H E O P T I O N S ?
Financing for Development in
DRC

6. AAAA
Domestic Resource
Mobilisation
Effective use of domestic
resources
Enhancing Revenue Administration
modernised, progressive tax systems
improved tax systems
improved tax policy
more efficient tax collection
addressing illicit financial flows
National ownership

7. 0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 00 05 10 15
ODA per capita Total ODA

8. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Taxes on goods and services (%
of revenue)
Taxes on income, profits and
capital gains (% of revenue)
Taxes on income, profits and
capital gains (% of total taxes)
Taxes on international trade (%
of revenue)

9. IDA 18
Financing
July1, 2017 -
June, 30,
2020
Education
Basic Health
Services
Clean water
and Sanitation
Agriculture
Business
climate
Infrastructure
Institutional
reform