THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHALLENGE OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, By Dr Lutumba Nkodia Jossard

Since more than three decades, international news has been reporting, in a
singular way, the efforts of some developing countries committed to the democratization
of their political systems and the well-being of their citizens starting from involving them
in the process of transforming their society. It is under these conditions that, through
tormented and painful steps, well-motivated people in these countries gradually
understand the need to take responsibility for themselves in the context of their own
political, social economic and historical culture taking ,at the same time ,advantage of
positive factors of the globalization so characteristic of the 21st century. Such a process
is supposed to provide citizens with common symbols and strong references in order to
make the activity of socio-economic development a more conscious exercise which is
well apprehended and integrated into the global system at local, national and
international levels.
The observation is that the demands of our time imply that each nation promotes
peace, social cohesion and equilibrium between different stakeholders in socio-
economic life within society. Such an approach has the advantage of promoting
production, distribution and consumption of really useful and competitive goods and
services in an effective, efficient, equitable and sustainable manner. It also helps keep
in perspective the well-being of future generations.
It is in view of these imperatives that it seems to me more than appropriate that
political stability and peace settle down truly and durably in the Democratic Republic of
Congo and activities through which people can take care of themselves are
encouraged at local community level so as to facilitate and accelerate endogenous
socio-economic development. Such an orientation of development actions is justified by
the fact that development is multidimensional covering simultaneously economic,
political, social, human and ecological aspects. This is a broad overall objective. Both
the Congolese inside and outside the country are concerned in this case. The objective
is that the Congolese and Congo-Kinshasa really get back to work in order to stop being
in the current humiliating misery that raises many questions. Why with so many natural
resources in the soil and subsoil do the Congolese people and Congo-Kinshasa remain
so poor? Why with so many rivers full of fishes, and even a lake recognized as one of

those having the largest quantity of fishes in the world, does Congo-Kinshasa continue
importing frozen fishes in large quantities, thus increasing the need for foreign
currencies? Until when will the US dollar continue to control Congolese consumption
and local business to the extent that even a bread or the lowest transport fare can be
paid for in US currency? And until when will Congolese living in the Democratic
Republic of Congo continue to pay their rent and school fees for their children in US
dollar, while workers in both the private and public sectors are generally paid in local
currency?
It is undoubtedly paradoxical to note that today the DR Congo is almost at the
bottom of the list of the poorest countries in the world. Such a fate is notoriously in direct
opposition to the agricultural, mineral, ecological potentials and people available in the
country. It is also observed that the road, rail, air and river networks are still largely
underdeveloped and poorly organized, thus making connections between different parts
of the country very difficult. Under these conditions, production centers are not
adequately connected to consumption centers. Hence the discouragement of some
producers and peasants, scarcity of basic products, extraversion of the economy,
continuous depreciation of the national currency and continuous rise in prices in the
market.
In addition to the observations listed above, the fragility of the Congolese
economy is also due to the fact that the primary products of agriculture and mining are
generally not processed on the national territory so as to allow the exportation of
finished or semi-finished products with a view to increased added value which is the real
source of wealth for a nation. It is in fact necessary to envisage specific ways to build a
true social market economy which will have to attenuate the negative effects of various
international imperialist powers interested more than ever in the abusive exploitation of
enormous natural resources of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the sale of their
weapons to keep the Congolese people in a state of permanent internal conflict. Also,
the education system is practically without substantial support and globally
disconnected from local realities and the demands of endogenous development. Even
the establishment of structures for free basic education , a determining factor in the five-
year plan of the current President of the country Mr. Felix Tshisekedi Tshilombo, is
trapped by insufficient planning on the part of the government as well as corruption and
bad faith of some prominent public, private and religious actors.
I am therefore certain that a good conduct of the affairs of the State led by an
effective political leadership guided by the spirit of service to the people and the
awareness of Congolese citizens of the implications of their happiness will accelerate
the socio-economic development of this great country in central Africa. Nevertheless,
the plans set up elsewhere and disconnected from local and national realities will only
deepen the abyss for the burial of the DR Congo and the Congolese people. The

Democratic Republic of Congo therefore needs an economy that is more in line with its
realities and that aims to:
– referring to and taking advantage of the roots of Congolese community life, especially
in rural areas;
-engaging into an endogenous development process that really takes into account local
specificities and promotes the transformation of raw materials on Congolese territory;
– building a society of consultation where different components of the Congolese people
work continuously together for the well-being of all in a context of lasting peace while
taking into account the interests of future generations;
-creating a strong middle class guided by the spirit of initiative and entrepreneurship and
been aware of the advantages and pitfalls of globalization;
– enabling a better functioning of public structures whose activities impact the socio-
economic life of the country;
– enabling a better promotion of cooperatives, peasant structures and other social
entities specialized in helping citizens to take care of themselves.
Above all, the search for the well-being of the Congolese people, based on a
quantitative and qualitative increase in goods and services, must respond to the
common values ​​of the community, which are solidarity, mutual aid, democracy and
human dignity. It is only at this price that it will be possible to mobilize the will, the
energy, the strength and the imagination of each one for the individual and collective
interest. Without doubt ,Ithe Democratic Republic of Congo needs more than ever to
build and maintain a society of solidarity that involves an appropriate sharing of assets,
powers and knowledge while inevitably taking into account the need for equality and the
relevance of equity so as to offer the same opportunities to all Congolese citizens. It is
through this knowingly maintained balance that the Congolese nation will build, as their
national anthem rightly says, a country more beautiful than before in the heart of Africa
where lives a great, free and prosperous people within the framework of a powerful,
dissuasive and respected nation in the concert of nations.

* Dr Lutumba Nkodia Jossard, a Lecturer/Reader holds DBA/DFILMMD/MBA/PGDE/BSC and can be reached on 08037270363 / 09014515081 / jossardnk@gmail.com