Public investment: UNH hosts Crefdl conference on the impact of the Lobito and Banana corridors in DR Congo

The Crefdl held a conference on public investment and the Lobito and Banana corridors on October 31 at Université Nouveaux Horizons in Lubumbashi, attended by nearly 150 people. Crefdl national coordinator Valéry Madianga said the Sakania-Banana corridor could cut container transit costs by 25 to 30%, while the 1,739-kilometre Lobito corridor is expected to reduce transit time to the port to eight days. He warned that corruption, tax harassment and excessive exemptions could delay the projects. Aimé Gbetele of the Haut-Katanga branch of the public procurement regulator outlined challenges facing public-private partnerships, including limited institutional capacity, lack of transparency and low participation by local small businesses, as well as opportunities across several sectors.