The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) has committed $500,000 to strengthen its productive capacities with the support of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). This funding will support analytical research, technical cooperation, and the development of a holistic programme, alongside statistical training and a national gap assessment on productive capacities conducted by UNCTAD. Productive capacities encompass the resources, skills, infrastructure, and institutions that enable a country to produce goods and services competitively and sustainably, which are essential for economic diversification, resilience, and strategic participation in global supply chains.
UNCTAD’s approach relies on its multidimensional Productive Capacities Index (PCI), launched in 2021, which identifies gaps and provides policy recommendations for 195 economies. The PCI forms the basis of National Productive Capacities Gap Assessments, which offer actionable insights into the socioeconomic performance of structurally weak and vulnerable economies. These assessments help countries identify their comparative advantages and key constraints, guiding interventions through Holistic Productive Capacities Development Programmes that build human and institutional capacities for long-term policy implementation.
Data from UNCTAD indicate that DR Congo, classified as a least developed country, has made modest and uneven progress in productive capacity development. The country performs relatively well in natural capital due to its abundant mineral and land resources, but limited digital infrastructure hampers performance in critical areas such as energy and information and communication technology, which are central to the PCI framework.
UNCTAD’s support to DR Congo will include using the PCI to analyze gaps and potential across eight components of productive capacities, providing technical cooperation and training to enhance statistical and institutional capabilities, conducting a National Productive Capacities Gap Assessment to map domestic policies, institutions, and comparative advantages, and formulating a Holistic Productive Capacities Development Programme. This multi-sectoral, multi-year plan aims to guide structural transformation and economic resilience. By investing its own resources, DR Congo signals a strong commitment to evidence-based strategies that will strengthen its long-term economic and industrial development.
