EuropAfrica Investment: Julien Paluku Calls for Accelerating Industrialization and Local Transformation of African Resources

At the EuropAfrica Investment Forum 2026 in Brussels, Congo's Minister of Foreign Trade, Julien Paluku Kahongya, called for accelerating Africa's industrialization and increasing local processing of its natural resources. He highlighted the energy potential of the DRC, including the Grand Inga project, and discussed progress in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Central Banks' integration into the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS). He emphasized the need to shift Africa-Europe relations from aid to mutually beneficial trade and economic partnerships.