The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) recently held a four-day workshop in Kinshasa aimed at strengthening project management and improving the performance of Bank-financed operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The event, organized between 8 and 11 September 2025 by the African Development Institute and the Bank’s fiduciary departments in collaboration with the Country Office, gathered participants from government ministries, the Court of Auditors, and various project implementation teams.
In his opening remarks, Mohamed Coulibaly, AfDB’s acting Country Manager in the DRC, highlighted that the training would boost accountability, transparency, and project effectiveness by sharing knowledge on the Bank’s rules, procedures, and best practices. Echoing this sentiment, Alain K. Malata, Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Finance, emphasized that participants’ commitment during the workshop would be decisive in enhancing the performance of the country’s project portfolio.
Ann Sow Dao, Division Manager for Programme Management at the African Development Institute, stressed that capacity building is a high-impact intervention that will deliver lasting improvements in operational quality. The workshop included practical sessions on financial management, procurement, monitoring and evaluation, and results-based management, as well as exchanges of experiences and best practices to strengthen project delivery.
Participants found the sessions highly valuable. Jean Luemba Lukumbu, Coordinator of the National Road 1 Renovation Project, noted that the training provided new insights into standards and methodologies essential for effective implementation. Similarly, Ruth Mpata Ndaya, an administrative and financial assistant with the Ngandajika Agro-Industrial Development Support Programme, said the workshop enhanced her skills in results-based project management, strategic planning, and quality management, which she plans to share with her colleagues.
The recommendations generated from the workshop will be incorporated into AfDB’s portfolio management activities in the DRC. As of 1 September 2025, the Bank’s portfolio in the country consisted of 25 active operations worth approximately $1.5 billion, with investments concentrated in transport, agriculture, energy, social sectors, and other areas.
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