When the Covid-19 pandemic hit the Democratic Republic of Congo in March 2020, the country faced a double challenge: containing the spread of the virus while preserving an already vulnerable economy. To support both the health response and the economic recovery, the African Development Bank Group set up the Support Programme in response to the Covid-19 crisis.
This programme, financed with 140 million US dollars, enabled the development of the Maluku pilot special economic zone (SEZ) in Kinshasa, a project emblematic of the Central African nation's economic resilience.
Piloted by the Cellule de financement en faveur des États fragiles (Fragile States Financing Facility), the project's fiduciary agency, the Maluku pilot SEZ intends to provide the area with modern infrastructure capable of attracting investors and boosting Congolese industry. Through this project, the area has gradually been transformed into an attractive industrial hub, with paved internal roads, a complete drinking water supply network, drainage and sewage systems, secure perimeter fencing, an electricity network supported by a 75 megavolt-ampere (MVA) transformer, and a modern administrative building housing a one-stop shop for public services essential for businesses.
Fully operational, the Maluku pilot SEZ already has several companies active on site. These include Saphir Ceramics, which specializes in the production of tiles and earthenware and has a production capacity of 50,000 m³ per day, and Varun Beverages, part of the Pepsi group, which has invested $129 million to develop its soda production unit, generating over 5,000 direct and indirect jobs. These investments highlight the potential of the SEZ to boost national competitiveness and stimulate the creation of skilled jobs.
For Jonathan Mutambay Mudingay, a young Congolese engineer, the area is much more than just a place to work. "I'm employed as a production engineer at Varum Beverages. When I was previously recruited by the company, I had an opportunity to train here. It's a real opportunity for the Congolese people." And he adds: "I'd like to tell all young engineers to come here. All you have to do is put your intelligence to work and you'll find your place."
This concrete experience illustrates the scope of the project: a driver of inclusive growth, a laboratory for industrial innovation and a showcase for the country's economic diversification.
Auguy Bolanda, General Manager of the Maluku pilot SEZ, agrees: "We have a pilot economic zone that will serve as an example for future zones across the country. Thanks to the one-stop shop, companies can now manage their administrative and tax requirements on site. The SEZ enhances the attractiveness of the region, creates jobs and contributes to local industrialization."
The Maluku pilot SEZ illustrates the vision of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the African Development Bank Group: that of transforming challenges into sustainable opportunities. By providing the DRC with basic industrial infrastructure and a framework conducive to investment, this project is demonstrating that such a partnership can produce concrete, tangible results that bring hope to an entire generation.
