Kinshasa, March 18th, 2022 (CPA).-The President of the Republic, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, urged the government to propel the transformation of the natural potentialities that the DRC abounds, in his communication to the ministers at the 45th meeting of the Council that he chaired in person, at the site of the African Union (AU), in Kinshasa. According to the Minister of Communication and Media, government spokesman, Patrick Muyaya, who indicated it, in his report, it is about the availability of 80 million hectares of arable land, a dense hydrography of the regional point of view and proven experience in the production of rice, cassava and potatoes and maize in certain territories. Although competition is the rule that prevails in our economic system, underlined Minister Muyaya, the Head of State considered that the government can gradually direct certain public purchases, in particular those related to agricultural products towards local agricultural producers, adding that he insisted that the objective pursued is to support a national agro-industrial revolution. “On the one hand, by guaranteeing agricultural producers access to public markets that they will have to announce even in advance their needs in terms of quality, quantity and packaging. On the other hand, by promoting the emergence of a national agricultural sector which will have to become more professional in order to improve the competitiveness of these products,” he said. The government spokesman said that the ministers in charge of Agriculture, Foreign Trade, Industry, National Economy, Budget and Finance were charged under the supervision of the Prime Minister, to set up a working committee to analyze the possibility of directing, from the end of this year as far as possible, and finally from next year, the government’s purchases of end-of-year parcels as well as than those of the Presidency of the Republic towards agricultural products from local production. For the revitalization of maritime transport The government spokesman indicated that the President of the Republic, Félix Tshisekedi, considered it necessary to rethink the strategy of the Congolese Shipping Line by providing it, in particular, with efficient and adequate ships to enable it to play its natural role of armament of the State based on the observation that this public company has so far totaled more than two decades without having its own fleet. According to Minister Muyaya, the Head of State insisted on increasing the participation capacity of the Congolese Shipping Line in the global maritime industry and its contribution to the DRC’s foreign trade. « To achieve this, the Minister of State in charge of the Portfolio as well as the Minister of Transport, communication channels and opening up have been instructed to present a related project within one month to the next Council of Ministers », he specified. In addition, the Minister of Communication and Media stressed that the President of the Republic has instructed the government to relaunch this mode of river transport, before instructing the Minister of Transport, communication routes and opening up and the Minister of Finance to present to the Council a recovery plan which should focus, in particular, on the floating units to be rehabilitated making up the existing fleets, but also on upgrading local industry, among others, the SCTP shipyard and Chanimétal for the construction new units according to relevant standards, so as to serve both the river and its tributaries. Digitization of State Portfolio companies According to the Minister of Communication and Media, the President of the Republic wants to see all public companies reap many benefits from digitalization for optimized management to improve their performance on many indicators. « It is in this logic that he instructed the Minister of State in charge of the Portfolio assisted by the Minister of Digital to ensure that all companies in the State Portfolio can produce and implement in the short term , roadmaps adapted for their respective digital transformation with a prioritization on everything related to their finance”, he specified. With specific regard to the National Electricity Company (SNEL) and REGIDESO, which have the recurring cash flow problem in common, the President of the Republic has demanded that it be put in place by December 31, 2022 at later, an integrated information system.
President Félix Tshisekedi receiving a bouquet of flowers before the meeting of the Council of Ministers According to the Presidency of the Republic, the Head of State had previously said that he was happy to find the government team. « We are staying together to work in favor of our population », had launched the Head of State to the « Warriors », when, on behalf of the whole team, the Deputy Minister of Finance offered him a bouquet flowers. This moment of reunion between the Head of State and the members of the government was also marked by the visit of a photo exhibition of young artists from Goma involved in the « Bendele Ekweya te » campaign in support of the FARDC. The Prime Minister deplores the tragedies that have occurred in the DRC The Head of Government, Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, during the said Council, deplored the tragedies that have affected the nation following the various deaths and fires, in particular the accident which occurred in the territory of Lubudi, in the province of Lualaba which caused several loss of life following the derailment of a train at the end of last week. On this painful occasion, the government made all the related arrangements in agreement with the authorities of the National Railway Company of Congo (SNCC), as well as the provincial authorities of Lualaba so that everything could be done. The government spokesperson also spoke of the fire which on the night of March 17, 2022 caused considerable material damage and the death of a young boy in the town of Matete, in the Debonhomme district, as well as the accident that occurred on March 17 at the bridge over the Mai-Ndombe river, causing the death of several compatriots, including 3 provincial deputies from Kwilu, while they were on a trip to Kinshasa. For the Prime Minister, these tragedies challenge the government of the Republic on the need to strengthen security measures in the field of transport and land use planning. He also recalled the problem of urbanization and that of the trade in petroleum products in large cities. « The government bows to all these victims over so many others and undertakes to take all the necessary measures through the sectoral ministries concerned so that such accidents can be avoided as much as possible, » said the spokesperson. of the government. Regarding the Leopards match scheduled for Friday, March 25 against the Moroccan team, the Prime Minister recalled the sacred and patriotic duty to mobilize the nation finally to support and encourage the Leopards to win it. In view of the holding in April 2022 of the 9th Conference of Governors scheduled for Mbandaka, capital of Equateur Province, the Head of Government visited, on the sidelines of his main mission, with several members of the Catholic Church at the sanctuary where Isidore Bakandja was buried in view of the commemoration of 25 years since his beatification and the announced visit of Pope Francis.
