## 1cogea2023002 — Preface / NDP 2022‑2026 (excerpts)

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### Foundations and background
- The NDP 2022‑2026 builds on the tradition of development planning in the Congo and the President's social project "Together, let us continue the march".
- International and regional frameworks informing the NDP:
  - United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
  - African Union (AU) Agenda 2063
  - African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA)
  - CEMAC economic and financial reform programme (PREF‑CEMAC)
- Guiding principles:
  - Priority to the economy to make it strong, diversified and resilient.
  - Translate economic strength into a social dividend and strengthened infrastructure.
  - Result‑focused implementation, ownership by public and private actors, empowerment of beneficiaries, reconciliation of growth with environmental protection.
- Recent international context highlights:
  - Global recession of "-3.1% growth rate in 2020".
  - IMF October 2021 projections: "5.9% in 2021" and "4.9% in 2022".
- Recent favourable national developments:
  - Viability of Congo's debt restored;
  - Rise in oil prices;
  - Political stability and climate of peace and security after the Pool department rebellion.

### Socio‑economic diagnosis — social indicators and human development
- Labour and poverty:
  - Unemployment affected 10.3% of the total active population in 2020 (vs 9.6% in 2019).
  - Youth unemployment (ages 15‑24) estimated at 21.6% (2019) and 22.5% among young men / 20.7% among young women (15‑24).
  - Poverty rate: 52.5% in 2020 (World Bank).
  - Poverty rose from 48.5% in 2019 to 52.5% in 2020 (World Bank, 2021).
- Health:
  - Infant mortality rate: 34.9‰ (WHO statistics).
  - Under‑5 mortality: 47.8 deaths per 1000 live births.
  - Maternal mortality ratio: 378 per 100,000 live births (WHO, 2021).
  - Births attended by skilled personnel: 90% (SARA Survey, 2019).
  - Malaria incidence: 80‰ in 2019 → 26‰ in 2020 (cases: 427,465 → 146,262).
  - Social security coverage: 5% of households (INS, 2020).
  - In 2020 households bore 52% of current health expenditure (WHO 2021).
- Education and services:
  - Gross enrolment ratio (GER) in primary education: 106.1% in 2019‑2020.
  - Learning outcomes (PASEC 2019): 66.6% of pupils do not reach the "sufficient" threshold in mathematics; 21% do not reach the "sufficient" threshold in French.
  - Access to basic services (2019): 48.3% access to electricity; 68% access to drinking water; 25% have a modern private toilet.
- Human Development and inequality:
  - HDI estimated at 0.574 in 2019 (Congo ranked 149th).
  - Richest 10% hold 37.9% of national income (UNDP 2020).

### Socio‑economic diagnosis — macroeconomic and sectoral trends
- GDP and sector performance:
  - GDP growth in 2020: -6.2%.
  - Agriculture averaged 1.6% annually between 2018 and 2020.
  - Industry recorded -3.5% in 2020.
  - Tourism annual average growth: -4.4% over 2018‑2020.
- Public finances and debt:
  - Government revenues fell from 37.5% of GDP in 2014 to 12.3% of GDP in 2020.
  - Oil revenues in nominal terms: 2 456.0 billion in 2014 vs 651.0 billion in 2020.
  - Debt‑to‑GDP ratio increased from 42.3% in 2014 to 104.1% in 2020.
  - IMF staff mission (as of September 2021): "debt sustainability has been restored"; public debt expected to decline to 83.3% of GDP by end‑2021.
- External balances:
  - Current account balanced in 2020.
  - Trade balance and export structure heavily oil‑dependent; diversification index in 2020: 0.8.

### Major challenges identified
- Economic:
  - (i) better withstand commodity price fluctuations (particularly oil);
  - (ii) create conditions for sustainable and inclusive growth;
  - (iii) improve the business climate to stimulate private investment and attract FDI;
  - (iv) develop basic infrastructure (energy, communications, telecommunications);
  - (v) pursue irreversible sustainable development; and related needs such as credit to the economy and technical/vocational training.
- Social sector priorities:
  - Education: strengthen quality, capacities and efficiency; rational human resource management.
  - Health: develop health system, strengthen human capacities, improve access.
  - Utilities: strengthen production, transport and distribution capacities for electricity and water; improve access in peri‑urban and rural areas; sanitation works.

### Strategic orientation and pillars of the NDP 2022‑2026
- Overall objective:
  - Build a strong, diversified and resilient economy relying on growth‑generating activities (agriculture in the broad sense, industry, SEZs, tourism, the digital economy and real estate) and consolidate the social dividend and basic infrastructure.
- Fundamental choices:
  - Prioritise wealth‑creating activities, attract private capital, rely on private sector financing and implementation alongside the State, and ensure redistribution through human capital and basic social services.
- Six strategic pillars:
  - (i) development of agriculture in the broad sense;
  - (ii) development of industry;
  - (iii) development of special economic zones (SEZs);
  - (iv) development of tourism;
  - (v) development of the digital economy;
  - (vi) real estate promotion.
- Supporting areas:
  - (i) peace, security and political stability;
  - (ii) good governance;
  - (iii) support and development of the private sector;
  - (iv) reconciliation of economic growth with environmental protection.

### Selected sector objectives and flagship projects (verbatim priorities)
- Agriculture (five specific objectives) with programmes and projects including:
  - Animal production development programme; fisheries programme (e.g., creation of ten fish farming areas of at least 150 ponds each by 2026; fish farming production target of at least 123,454 tonnes).
  - Feed production projects (maize, soybean, sorghum, cowpea).
  - Crop and agroforestry programmes (cassava, sweet banana, cocoa, oil palm, agroforestry plantations, nursery creation in five departments).
  - Mechanisation, irrigation and protected zones; creation of two large wholesale markets; food quality control laboratories in Brazzaville and Pointe‑Noire.
  - Institutional projects: SPISA, ANDAE, ANDPA, revitalisation of FSA and FAH, agricultural land register, veterinary and biotechnology laboratories.
- Industry and energy projects include:
  - Construction of the second refinery; construction of an LNG extraction unit; construction of a urea manufacturing unit; construction of a gas‑fired power plant; construction of a cement factory in MAFOUBOU Tao Tao (Louvakou); Makoua ceramics factory; support for 1st–3rd wood processing units; FIGA (Guarantee and Accompaniment Impulse Fund).
- SEZs and infrastructure:
  - Operationalise SEZs (Pointe‑Noire 2,990 hectares; Oyo‑Ollombo 760,318 hectares; Ouesso 379,639 hectares; Ignié 223,810 hectares); development projects for infrastructure, land surveys, compensation of expropriated owners, one‑stop shops, skills training centres.
- Tourism and leisure projects include:
  - Extensive list of access roads, telecommunication and energy installations to specific sites, creation of parks (Louna Parc, Mbouambé‑Léfini), rehabilitation of Grand Hôtel de Dolisie, construction of amusement and water parks, large theatres, shopping centres, and institutional projects (Higher Institute of Environment and Tourism in Impfondo; national school of tourism and hotel management).
- Digital economy projects:
  - National coverage in optical fibre; data centres; dematerialisation of tax payments; mobile post office; fibre interconnection with neighbouring countries; expansion of mobile broadband (current indicators: mobile broadband 6.0 per 100 inhabitants in 2020; internet penetration 9.7% in 2020; mobile phone penetration 104.7% in 2020).
- Real estate and housing projects:
  - Address housing deficit (~15,000 units per year) via construction projects listed verbatim (housing in Diosso, Pointe‑Noire Camp IGET, Owando Linengue 1 and 2, MAMBO social housing, creation of a National Housing Fund, National Housing Company); infrastructure projects (International Business City in Brazzaville, commercial centre in Mpila, departmental directorates).

### Macroeconomic and social projections (NDP scenario, 2022‑2026)
- Average growth rate (2022‑2026): 4.6%.
- Real GDP growth trajectory (NDP scenario):
  - 2.5% in 2022;
  - 3.2% in 2023;
  - 8.4% in 2024;
  - 4.8% in 2025;
  - 4.0% in 2026.
- Real non‑oil GDP:
  - 3.5% in 2022;
  - 4.5% in 2023;
  - 6.4% in 2024;
  - 9.7% in 2025;
  - 10.7% in 2026;
  - average annual growth rate: 7.0% over 2022‑2026.
- Investment rates (NDP scenario, % of GDP):
  - Total investment: 19.9 in 2022 → 37.6 in 2026.
  - Public: 3.5 in 2022 → 4.7 in 2026.
  - Private: 16.4 in 2022 → 32.9 in 2026 (private investment as main driver).
  - Non‑oil investment rate: 14.4 in 2022 → 33.0 in 2026.
- Employment and poverty:
  - Unemployment: decline from 11.4% in 2022 to 6.5% in 2026 (reduction of 4.9 percentage points).
  - Poverty rate projected at 38.1% in 2026, down 14 percentage points from 2022 level estimated at 51.9% (World Bank).
- Oil production and price assumptions (key macro assumptions):
  - Oil production (million barrels): 110.1 in 2022; 111.7 in 2023; 124.6 in 2024; 121.6 in 2025; 113.0 in 2026.
  - Congolese oil price per barrel: $65.0 in 2022; $63.0 in 2023; $60.0 in 2024; $58.0 in 2025; $56.0 in 2026.
  - Exchange rate assumption: 1 dollar = 530 FCFA for entire period.
- Inflation:
  - INS projections: below CEMAC recommendation (3%) in 2022; stabilise at 3.0% from 2023 onward.
- Money and credit (selected NDP scenario levels, XAF billions):
  - Money supply (M2): 3 344,4 in 2022; 4 245,0 in 2023; 4 501,3 in 2024; 5 630,4 in 2025; 6 418,2 in 2026.
  - Net external assets: 587,6 in 2022 → 1 262,5 in 2026.
  - Net domestic credit: 2 756,9 in 2022 → 5 155,7 in 2026.
  - Credits to the economy: 1 137,4 in 2022 → 1 680,6 in 2026.
- Current account (NDP scenario, XAF billions):
  - 659,1 in 2022; 261,5 in 2023; 19,3 in 2024; -189,4 in 2025; -349,9 in 2026.
  - Trade balance: 3 212,4 in 2022 → 2 032,8 in 2026.
  - Income balance and services remain negative contributors.

### NDP financing, acquired funding and gap (exact figures)
- Overall projected cost of NDP implementation: 8,962,594,000,000 CFA francs.
- Average annual cost: 1,792,518.8 CFA francs.
- Share devoted to investment expenditure: 8 935 118 000 000 CFA francs.
- Operationalisation expenditure (communication, resource mobilisation, statistics, M&E): 27,476,000,000 CFA francs (0.31% of total cost).
- Financing acquired: 2,471.0 billion CFA francs (27.57% of total cost).
  - State own resources: 1,291.0 billion CFA francs (52.25% of acquired financing; 14.40% of overall cost).
    - FAR: 1 119,00 billion CFA francs (12.49% of overall cost; 45.29% of acquired financing).
    - Floating party at more than $65/barrel: 172 (1.92% of overall cost; 6.96% of acquired financing).
  - External resources: 1,180.00 billion CFA francs (47.75% of acquired financing; 13.17% of overall cost).
    - Donations and legacies: 238 (2.66% of overall cost; 9.63% of acquired financing).
    - Loans: 767 (8.56% of overall cost; 31.04% of acquired financing).
    - Partnerships (PPP): 175 (1.95% of overall cost; 7.08% of acquired financing).
- Financing gap: 6,491.59 billion CFA francs (72.43% of overall cost).
  - Gap financing plan composition:
    - Traditional external funding: 2,992.0 billion CFA francs — 45.91% of the gap; representing 33.38% of overall cost.
    - Innovative external funding: 1,514.60 billion CFA francs — 23.24% of the gap; representing 16.90% of overall cost.
    - Domestic funding: 1,984.98 billion CFA francs — 30.85% of the gap; representing 22.15% of overall cost.
    - Private external financing (FDI) noted as 1 792,00 billion francs CFA (19.99% of overall cost) in gap breakdown.

### Risks, vulnerabilities and mitigation measures
- Five groups of risk factors:
  - (i) international situation risks (trade tensions, commodity price shocks, Covid‑19 resurgence);
  - (ii) economic and financial risks (under‑financing, IMF programme alignment, debt constraints, limited concessional borrowing capacity);
  - (iii) health risks (resurgence of Covid‑19);
  - (iv) environmental and climatic risks (flooding, drought, impacts on hydroelectricity and agriculture; pollution from extractive activities);
  - (v) risks related to low stakeholder ownership.
- Extract of mitigation measures (from Table 1):
  - International risks: strengthen inter‑African economic links; diversify partners and exports.
  - Economic/financial risks: increase tax revenues; make substantial savings on current expenditure; diversify exports.
  - Environmental risks: develop and implement climate change adaptation programmes; promote sustainable production and consumption patterns.
  - Health risks: strengthen Covid‑19 response programme; promote telework.
  - Low stakeholder buy‑in: operationalise institutional framework for NDP implementation; strengthen coordination and ownership.
- Implementation risks and constraints highlighted:
  - Weak coordination, weak planning and budgeting, weak M&E systems, limited funding, weak national statistical system (NSS).

### Implementation framework, monitoring & evaluation and governance
- Institutional architecture (strategic steering and operational bodies):
  - Steering Committee (COPIL) chaired by the Prime Minister; missions include setting priorities, allocating resources, approving annual performance reports and arbitrations.
  - Technical Coordination (TC): chaired by the minister in charge of planning, vice‑chaired by minister in charge of finance; operationalises COPIL decisions; meets at least four times a year.
  - Standing Technical Committee (STC): technical monitoring and evaluation; chaired by Director of the Cabinet of the Minister in charge of Planning; meets at least four times a year.
  - Operational units (six identified): DGPD (planning), CNEPIP (studies), NIS (statistics), DGE (macroeconomics), CCA (financing), communications expert.
  - Departmental sections and Local Development Plans (LDPs): departmental steering, technical coordination and permanent technical committee for local transposition; departmental branches with defined composition and meeting frequency.
- Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) approach:
  - Results‑based management (RBM) with key performance indicators at each result level.
  - Monitoring blocks: ministerial action programmes, public investment programme, macroeconomic/financial programme, governance reform, co‑financed public investment programme.
  - Evaluation types: formative (ongoing), mid‑term, summative (final).
  - M&E responsibilities shared across planning ministry, sectoral ministries, CSEPIP, INS and operational units.
- Programme budgeting and public financial management:
  - Shift to programme budget (budget par objectif) to link appropriations to objectives and results indicators; multiannual programming tools (PPAP, PAP, MTBF, MTEF, SFOT).
  - Objectives: improve transparency, efficiency, predictability and accountability; parliament to allocate globalised credit envelopes tied to objectives and indicators.
- Communication strategy:
  - Two pillars: institutional communication and communication for development (C4D).
  - Tools: TV, radio, print, social networks, website, SMS, events; aim to promote ownership, participation and empowerment; include awareness campaigns and budget for communication.

### Financing strategy, instruments and prior reforms
- Financing instruments:
  - Internal resources: oil revenues, tax and customs revenues, public securities, sale of public company equity.
  - External resources: concessional loans, non‑concessional post‑programme loans, donations, South‑South cooperation, multilateral partners (World Bank, AfDB).
  - Innovative financing: climate/environment funds (Green Climate Fund, CIF, SCCF, ACCF, GEF, CAFI, Adaptation Fund), carbon credits (REDD+), PPPs, crowdfunding.
  - Domestic market instruments: ATBs/BTAs (assimilable treasury bonds/bills), regional financial market issuance, bank mobilisation (Brazzaville Club example).
- Prior reforms required (2022) to improve business climate and financing:
  - Accelerate national committee for consultation between private sector and administrations.
  - Structure private sector representative platforms; simplify and lighten taxation and parafiscality; generalise digital payments.
  - Improve legal and judicial environment; popularise OHADA law; train magistrates and legal practitioners.
  - Strengthen official support structures (Investment Promotion Agency, Agency for Business Creation, SME agency, Impulse/FIGA funds, Congolese Employment Agency, National Fund for Supporting Employability).
  - Adopt national PPP strategy and create ministerial PPP department; organise supervised crowdfunding.
- Constraints linked to IMF agreement and debt strategy:
  - Financing policy must align with IMF programme constraints and concessionality recommendations (35% grant element for low‑income countries negotiating IMF‑supported programmes).
  - MTDS 2022‑2024 prudent policy: favour concessional loans, balance foreign/local currency borrowings, lengthen domestic maturities, better domestic/external debt mix.
- Public securities and equity:
  - Use of domestic public securities to mobilise CFAF financing; sale of fraction of public company capital on Central African Stock Exchange.

### Selected policy recommendations and implementation priorities (verbatim guidance)
- Limit number of strategic pillars to avoid resource dispersion; prioritise projects by impact, urgency and mobilisable finance.
- Carry out feasibility studies for NDP projects; establish consultation framework for cross‑cutting projects.
- Finalise national surveys (RGPH, REGEC, EHCVM) and conduct additional surveys (EDS, EESIC, ESISC, MICS) to address statistical data gaps.
- Operationalise the monitoring and evaluation framework and strengthen technical/logistical capacities of administrations involved.
- Transpose NDP into Local Development Plans (LDPs) immediately after NDP law adoption.
- Include and budget a communication strategy to build awareness and ownership at all levels.
- Mobilise more oil revenues to finance economic diversification and NDP projects, while pursuing measures to diversify financing sources (FDI, PPPs, concessional loans, innovative and domestic funding).

*Italic: Source — 1cogea2023002 (extracted content).*

### Preface ................................................................................................................

### 1cogea2023002 - Preface

### General presentation
- Document structure includes: Preface (ii), Overview (v), Preamble (vii), Table of Contents (ix), List of tables (xii), List of graphics (xiii), Acronyms and abbreviations: French and English (xiv), Executive Summary (xx), and GENERAL PRESENTATION (1).

### PART I: REVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENT BENCHMARKS AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC OF THE CONGO
- Chapter 1: Overall assessment of the NDPs 2012-2016 and 2018-2022 (page 6)
  - 1.1. Overall evaluation of the NDP 2012-2016 (7)
    - 1.1.1. Macroeconomic performance of the NDP 2012-2016 (7)
    - 1.1.2. Social performance of the NDP 2012-2016 (8)
    - 1.1.3. PND 2012-2016 Performance in the strategic areas of the NDP 2012-2016 (8)
  - 1.2. Overall assessment of the NDP 2018-2022 (10)
    - 1.2.1. Macroeconomic performance of the NDP 2018-2022 (10)
    - 1.2.2. Social performance of the NDP 2018-2022 (11)
  - 1.3. Recommendations for the development and implementation of the NDP 2022-2026 (15)
    - 1.3.1. On the development process (15)
- Chapter 2: Diagnostic analysis of the socio-economic situation in Congo (18)
  - 2.1. Demographic and social status (18)
    - 2.1.1. Demographic trends (18)
    - 2.1.2. Employment (19)
    - 2.1.3. Poverty and inequality (20)
    - 2.1.4. Access to basic social services (23)
  - 2.2. Economic and financial situation (25)
    - 2.2.1. Global, regional and sub-regional trends (25)
    - 2.2.2. Growth trajectory of the Congolese economy (26)
    - 2.2.3. Competitiveness of the economy (30)
    - 2.2.4. Inflation (31)
    - 2.2.5. Financing the economy (32)
    - 2.2.6. Public finances and debt (34)
    - 2.2.7. Foreign trade (35)
  - 2.3. Challenges in laying the foundations for a strong, diversified and resilient economy (36)

### PART II: NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
- Chapter 3: Strategic direction and objectives of the NDP 2022-2026 (39)
  - 3.1. Strategic orientation (39)
  - 3.2. NDP objectives (43)
- Chapter 4: Strategic pillars of the NDP 2022-2026 (45)
  - 4.1. Large Pillar 1: Development of agriculture in a wider spectrum (45)
    - Strategic and specific objectives (45)
  - 4.2. Pillar 2: Industry development (49)
    - Issues and challenges (49)
    - Strategic and specific goals (49)
  - 4.3. Pillar 3: Development of special economic zones (52)
    - Issues and challenges (52)
    - Strategic and specific objectives (53)
  - 4.4. Pillar 4: Tourism development (53)
    - Issues and challenges (53)
  - 4.5. Pillar 5: Development of the digital economy (57)
    - Key issues and challenges (57)
    - Strategic and specific goals (58)
  - 4.6. Pillar 6: Property development (60)
    - Issues and challenges (60)
    - Strategic and specific goals (60)
- Chapter 5: Areas of support (63)
  - 5.6. Peace, security and political stability (63)
  - 5.7. Good governance (63)
  - 5.8. Support and development of the private sector (64)
  - 5.9. Economic growth and environmental protection (66)
- Chapter 6: Social dividend and strengthening basic infrastructure (67)
  - 6.1. Human Capital (67)
    - 6.1.1. Education (67)
    - 6.1.2 Health (68)
    - 6.1.3 Social protection (69)
  - 6.2 Strengthening basic infrastructure (69)
    - 6.2.1 Water, electricity and sanitation (70)
    - 6.2.2 Roads (70)

### PART III: MACROECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS
- Chapter 7: Macroeconomic outlook (73)
  - 7.1. Assumptions underlying the forecasts (73)
  - 7.2. Growth and investment rates (74)
  - 7.3. Inflation trends (75)
  - 7.4. Resources (75)
  - 7.5. Evolution of the current account (76)
  - 7.6. Developments in the monetary situation (76)
  - 7.7. Impact of growth on employment and poverty (77)
    - 7.7.1. Reducing unemployment (77)
    - 7.7.2. Poverty reduction (77)
- Chapter 8: Risk Assessment (79)
  - 8.1. Risks related to the international situation (79)
  - 8.2. Economic and financial risks (79)
  - 8.3. Environmental and climatic risks (80)
  - 8.4. Health risks (80)
  - 8.5. Risks related to low stakeholder ownership (80)
  - 8.6. Risks and mitigation measures (80)

### PART IV: TOOLS FOR OPERATIONALISING THE 2022-2026 NDP
- Chapter 9: Implementation Framework (83)
  - 9.1. Overview (83)
  - 9.2. Implementing components (84)
  - 9.3. Implementation structure of the NDP 2022-2026 (84)
  - 9.4. Implementation of strategy (85)
- Chapter 10: Financing Scheme and Implementation of the Programme Budget (87)
  - 10.1. Funding scheme (87)
    - 10.1.1. Cost of the NDP (87)
    - 10.1.2. Financing the NDP (87)
    - 10.1.3. Financing constraints of the Congolese economy (88)
    - 10.1.4. Financing strategy (89)
    - 10.1.5. Prior reforms (93)
  - 10.2. Program mode budgeting (94)
    - 10.2.1. Principles (94)
    - 10.2.2. Tools and mechanisms (94)
    - 10.2.3. Objectives of the programme budget in the implementation of the NDP 2022-2026 (95)
- Chapter 11: Monitoring and evaluation and communication strategy (96)
  - 11.1. Monitoring and evaluation (96)
    - 11.1.1. Monitoring and evaluation of programmes and actions (96)
    - 11.1.2. Institutional mechanism for monitoring and evaluation of the NDP 2022-2026 (97)
  - 11.2. Communication strategy (102)
    - 11.2.1. Objective of the communication plan (102)
    - 11.2.2. Content of the communication plan (102)

*Source: 1cogea2023002 - Preface (PDF chapter/section).*

### CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................

### CONCLUSION

### Foundations
- The 2022-2026 NDP is based on:
  - the tradition of development planning in the Congo and on the President of the Republic's social project, "Together, let us continue the march".
  - a vision to build a society that ensures social progress for all, in solidarity and peace, through creation of conditions for inclusive growth based on a strong economy.
- The NDP 2022-2026 is enriched by international and regional frameworks:
  - United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
  - African Union (AU) Agenda 2063
  - African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA)
  - CEMAC economic and financial reform programme (PREF-CEMAC)
- Guiding principles for the NDP 2022-2026:
  - priority to the economy with development of strategic activities likely to make it strong, diversified and resilient;
  - translation of a strong, diversified and resilient economy into a social dividend and the strengthening of development infrastructures;
  - implementation focused on expected results;
  - ownership of the NDP by public and private actors involved in implementation;
  - empowerment of the actors and beneficiaries of the NDP;
  - reconciliation of economic growth with the protection of the environment.
- The NDP preparation drew on evaluations of the 2012-2016 and 2018-2022 NDPs; the evaluation revealed mixed results and produced recommendations related to development and implementation of the 2022-2026 NDP.

### Background
- International context:
  - Covid-19 health crisis plunged the world economy into a recession with "-3.1% growth rate in 2020".
  - IMF October 2021 projections: "5.9% in 2021" and "4.9% in 2022".
- Sub-regional context:
  - Implementation of PREF-CEMAC and second generation programmes supported by the IMF.
- National context:
  - A multidimensional economic, financial and health crisis.
  - The 2022-2026 NDP, the medium-term economic and financial programme (2022-2024) supported by the IMF and development partners, and the response plan against COVID-19 are elements of the response to this crisis.
- Recent favourable developments noted:
  - the viability of Congo's debt restored;
  - the rise in oil prices;
  - political stability and a climate of peace and security following the end of the rebellion in the Pool department.

### Socio-economic diagnosis
- The 2022-2026 NDP is grounded in a diagnostic analysis of the country's recent social and economic situation.

### Social Status
- The NDP 2022-2026 is based on the social diagnostic described in the plan (section heading provided: "Social Status").

*Source: 1cogea2023002 - CONCLUSION*

### 7. According to the International Labour Office, in 2020 unemployment affected 10.3% of the

### 1cogea2023002 - 7. According to the International Labour Office, in 2020 unemployment affected 10.3% of the

### Social indicators and human development
- Unemployment affected 10.3% of the total active population in 2020, compared with 9.6% in 2019.
- Youth unemployment (ages 15-24) was estimated at 21.6%, compared with 6.7% for the over-25s in 2019.
- Poverty rate in Congo according to the World Bank was 52.5% in 2020.
- Infant mortality rate: 34.9‰ (WHO statistics).
- Under-5 mortality: 47.8 deaths per 1000 live births; declined from a peak of 114 deaths per 1000 live births in 2000.
- Education: gross enrolment ratio (GER) in primary education was 106.1% in 2019-2020.
  - Learning outcomes: 66.6% of pupils do not reach the "sufficient" threshold in mathematics.
  - 21% of pupils do not reach the "sufficient" threshold in French.
- Access to basic services (2019):
  - 48.3% of the population had access to electricity.
  - 68% had access to drinking water.
  - 25% of the population has a modern private toilet; the rest use precarious sanitation facilities.

### Economic and financial situation (recent past and trends)
- GDP growth in 2020: -6.2% (contraction due to Covid-19 and collapse of world oil prices).
- Sectoral developments:
  - Agriculture averaged 1.6% annually between 2018 and 2020.
  - Industry recorded a decline of -3.5% in 2020.
  - Tourism recorded an annual average growth of -4.4% over 2018-2020.
- Government revenues:
  - Fell from 37.5% of GDP in 2014 to 12.3% of GDP in 2020.
  - Oil revenues in nominal terms: 2 456.0 billion in 2014 compared with 651.0 billion in 2020.
  - Oil revenues accounted for an annual average of 57.1% of total state revenues over 2014-2019.
- Public debt and external balances:
  - Debt-to-GDP ratio increased from 42.3% of GDP in 2014 to 104.1% of GDP in 2020.
  - IMF staff mission (as of September 2021): "debt sustainability has been restored" but vulnerabilities remain; public debt expected to decline to 83.3% of GDP by end-2021.
  - Current account balance as a percentage of GDP: deficit pre-pandemic (-39.0% in 2015 and -50.3% in 2016); external current account as a percentage of GDP balanced in 2020.

### Challenges and priority reforms
- Economic challenges to address:
  - (i) better withstand fluctuations in commodity prices (particularly oil);
  - (ii) create conditions for sustainable and inclusive growth;
  - (iii) improve the business climate to stimulate private investment and attract FDI;
  - (iv) develop basic infrastructure (energy, communications, telecommunications) for competitiveness;
  - (v) pursue irreversible sustainable development.
- Social sector priorities:
  - Education: (i) strengthen quality, capacities and efficiency; (ii) manage human resources rationally and efficiently (recruitment, assignments, continuous training, careers).
  - Health: (i) develop the health system; (ii) strengthen human capacities; (iii) manage the system efficiently; (iv) improve access to health services.
  - Electricity, water, sanitation: (i) strengthen production, transport and distribution capacities; (ii) improve access in peri-urban and rural areas; (iii) continue sanitation work in all the country's towns.

### Strategic orientation and objectives of NDP 2022-2026
- Fundamental choices:
  - Building foundations for irreversible sustainable development.
  - Focus NDP actions on strengthening the economy to give the State more means to meet national challenges.
  - Prioritise development of activities that create added value and jobs.
  - Attract private capital and encourage its deployment in priority activities.
  - Rely on the private sector for financing and implementation alongside the State.
  - Ensure redistribution of national wealth, specifically via human capital and basic social services.
- Overall objective:
  - Build a strong, diversified and resilient economy relying on growth-generating activities: agriculture in the broad sense, industry, special economic zones, tourism, the digital economy and real estate.
  - Consolidate the social dividend and strengthen basic infrastructure for development.
- Strategic pillars (six):
  - (i) development of agriculture in the broad sense;
  - (ii) development of industry;
  - (iii) development of special economic zones (SEZs);
  - (iv) development of tourism;
  - (v) development of the digital economy;
  - (vi) real estate promotion.
- Areas of support for implementation:
  - (i) preservation of peace, security and political stability;
  - (ii) practice of good governance;
  - (iii) attraction of private investment;
  - (iv) protection of the environment.

### Macroeconomic and social projections (2022-2026)
- Average growth rate over 2022-2026: 4.6%.
- Real GDP growth trajectory:
  - 2.5% in 2022;
  - peak of 8.4% in 2024 (linked to increase in oil production);
  - 4.0% in 2026.
- Real non-oil GDP:
  - 3.5% in 2022;
  - 10.7% in 2026;
  - average annual growth rate of 7.0%.
- Investment:
  - Total investment rate: 19.9% of GDP in 2022 to 37.6% in 2026.
  - Private investment as the main driver of growth.
- Employment and poverty:
  - Unemployment reduction from 11.4% in 2022 to 6.5% in 2026.
  - Poverty rate projected at 38.1% in 2026, down 14 percentage points from 2022 level estimated at 51.9% by the World Bank.

### Risks
- Five groups of risk factors identified:
  - (i) risks related to the international economic situation;
  - (ii) national economic and financial risks;
  - (iii) global and national health risks;
  - (iv) environmental and climatic risks;
  - (v) risks related to the weak adhesion of actors.
- These factors could compromise NDP implementation if they evolve negatively.

### NDP financing and gaps
- Overall projected cost of NDP implementation: 8,962,594,000,000 CFA francs.
  - Average annual cost: 1,792,518.8 CFA francs.
  - Share devoted to investment expenditure: 8 935 118 000 000 CFA francs.
  - Operationalisation expenditure (communication, resource mobilisation, statistics, monitoring-evaluation): 0.31% of total cost, i.e. 27,476,000,000 CFA francs.
- Financing acquired: 2,471 billion CFA francs, representing 27.57% of the total cost.
- Financing gap: 6,491.59 billion CFA francs, or 72.43% of the overall cost.
- Policy note: "It will be appropriate to mobilise more oil revenues" to finance economic diversification and benefit NDP projects.

### Monitoring, evaluation and governance
- Monitoring and evaluation focus:
  - (i) monitoring of selected programmes and projects;
  - (ii) evaluation of implementation performance.
- Monitoring-evaluation mechanism components:
  - Strategic steering and validation bodies and coordinating bodies linking development actors.
- Strategic steering and validation bodies:
  - (i) the Steering Committee (COPIL);
  - (ii) the Economic and Social Policy Task Force;
  - (iii) the Technical Coordination (TC);
  - (iv) the Permanent Technical Secretariat (PTS);
  - (v) the Operational Units;
  - (vi) the Departmental Antennas.
- Framework based on results-based management (RBM) with key performance indicators at each level.

### Context and supporting factors
- International context highlights:
  - Global recession of -3.1% in 2020 due to Covid-19.
  - IMF October 2021 projections: world growth 5.9% in 2021 and 4.9% in 2022.
  - Potential risks from new Covid-19 variants and inflationary pressures; oil prices forecast to increase in 2021 by almost 60% above their 2020 level.
- Sub-regional context (CEMAC):
  - Moderate recovery in growth in 2021 after recession of -3.2% in 2020.
  - Average annual inflation: 2.5% in 2021, compared with 2.8% a year earlier.
  - Budget balance on commitment basis (including grants): deficit at -2.3% of GDP in 2021, compared with -3.6% of GDP in 2020.
- National context supportive elements:
  - Viability of public debt restructured and notified to the IMF following Article IV consultations.
  - Current rise in oil prices.
  - Political stability and climate of peace and security prevailing since 1997 and particularly after the Pool rebellion in 2016-2017.

*1cogea2023002 - 7. According to the International Labour Office, in 2020 unemployment affected 10.3% of the*

### 48. The  NDP  2022-2026  is  the  result  of  a  participatory  and  inclusive  process  in  which

### 48. The  NDP  2022-2026  is  the  result  of  a  participatory  and  inclusive  process  in  which

### Development process and methodological approach
- Technical contributions were made by experts from the administrations, national consultants, civil society and private sector actors, as well as TFPs.
- The methodological approach to the development of this NDP was informed by the lessons and recommendations from the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the previous NDP (2018-2022).
- Activities summarising the methodological approach to the development and entry into force of this NDP included:
  - Assessment of the NDP 2018-2022;
  - Orientation and framing work for the development, organised by the Economic and Social Policy Task Force;
  - Consultation with the private sector;
  - Consultation with civil society;
  - Consultation with the Technical and financial partner TFPs;
  - Consultation with the advisory councils (youth, women, people living with disabilities, civil society);
  - Consultations, organised by the technical coordination of the drafting process, with certain members of the government on specific issues in their sector;
  - Technical work on the development of the NDP 2022-2026;
  - Reviews and amendments of the strategic framework and its operational annexes by the Economic and Social Policy Task Force;
  - Validation by the Council of Ministers of the strategic framework and its operational annexes;
  - Adoption by the Parliament of the strategic framework and its operational annexes;
  - Promulgation of the law on the NDP 2022-2026 by the President of the Republic.

### Articulation of the strategic development framework
- The Strategic Development Framework, the main document of the NDP, is divided into four parts:
  - Part 1: Analysis of past NDPs and the socio-economic situation of the country (Chapter 1: review of the 2012-2016 and 2018-2022 NDPs; Chapter 2: analysis of demography, employment, poverty, economic growth, public finances and external trade).
  - Part 2: Strategy of the NDP (Chapter 3: strategic orientation and objectives; Chapter 4: breakdown of the strategic pillars; Chapter 5: accompanying areas; Chapter 6: social dividend and strengthening of basic infrastructure).
  - Part 3: Macroeconomic and social implications and risk analysis (Chapter 7: macroeconomic and social implications; Chapter 8: analysis of the various risks).
  - Part 4: Tools for operationalising the NDP (Chapter 9: implementation framework; Chapter 10: financing scheme and implementation of the budget in programme mode; Chapter 11: monitoring-evaluation framework and communication strategy).

### Overall evaluation of the NDP 2012-2016
- Strategic objectives of the 2012-2016 NDP:
  - (i) strengthening governance,
  - (ii) diversifying the economy to accelerate growth and create jobs,
  - (iii) strengthening and developing economic and social infrastructure,
  - (iv) strengthening social development and inclusion,
  - (v) ensuring balanced and sustainable development.
- Performance highlights and findings:
  - Non-oil GDP fell from 9.7% in 2012 to 4.6% in 2016, with an average over the five years of 7%.
  - The share of non-extractive industries in non-oil GDP remained around 20% over the period.
  - Non-oil GDP grew at an average annual rate of around 7% over the period, below the 10% target; deceleration from 9.7% in 2012 to 4.5% in 2016.
  - Annual inflation remained below the CEMAC community norm (3%) during implementation, attributed to restrictive monetary policy by the Central Bank.
  - Non-oil primary budget balance: -22.6% in 2012; -28.0% in 2014; improved to -11.7% of GDP in 2016.
  - Current account and trade balance: trade surplus in 2011 (+37%) to deficits in 2014 (-0.5%) and 2015 (-16%), then around 21% in 2016.
  - Foreign exchange reserves fell from 20 months of imports in 2011 to less than 3 months in 2016.
- Social indicators:
  - Youth unemployment (first-time job seekers) rose from 25% in 2011 to 30.5% in 2016 (ETVA 2015).
  - Poverty rate was 35% in 2016, down 11 points from 46.5% in 2011, but above the NDP target of 31%.
  - Recommendation: periodic measurements, surveys and analytical work are necessary to monitor national income growth, employment, unemployment rate and poverty rate.
- Performance by strategic areas:
  - Governance:
    - Mo Ibrahim Foundation Global Good Governance Index (GGI) remained at 43.0 points out of 100 (2012-2015).
    - Improvements: security (+4.3 points), rule of law (+6.4 points), gender parity (+10.3 points).
    - Underperformance: quality of public management (-18.7 points), accountability (-5.2 points), fight against corruption (-3 points).
    - World Bank CPIA overall index remained at 3 points out of 6.
  - Infrastructure:
    - Paved roads increased from 1 976 km in 2011 to 3 675 km in 2016 (growth of 86%).
    - Electricity production: 1 054 million KWH in 2011 to 2 512 million KWH in 2016 (increase of over 100%); only 1,152 million KWH sold in 2016 (54% loss of total production).
    - Rate of access to drinking water in urban areas: 45% in 2011 to 66% in 2016 (target 90%); rural and semi-urban: 6.8% in 2011 to 47% in 2016 (target 75%).
  - Education and training:
    - Gross admission rate to secondary school: 51.5% in 2011 to 57.6% in 2016.
    - Gross admission rate to high school: around 24% in 2011 to 30% in 2016.
  - Health, social development and inclusion:
    - Maternal mortality ratio declined from 560 in 2011 to 436 in 2016 per 100 000 live births (NDP target 300 per 100 000 live births).
    - Under-five mortality rate remained at 68 per 1000 children (NDP target 37 per 1000).
    - Increasing inequalities in access to health care and concerns about quality of services.
  - Sustainable and balanced development:
    - Area of planted forest increased from 72,625 inhabitants in 2011 to 100,000 inhabitants in 2016 (approximate 40% increase); target 130,000 inhabitants.
    - Area of managed forests increased from 3.5 million inhabitants in 2011 to 8 million inhabitants in 2016; PND target 10.2 million inhabitants.
  - Territorial development:
    - "Accelerated municipalization" provided departmental and district capitals with roads, airports, urban electricity and drinking water networks, urban roads and administrative buildings.

### Overall assessment of the NDP 2018-2022
- Strategic areas of the 2018-2022 NDP:
  - (i) strengthening governance,
  - (ii) in-depth reform of the education system,
  - (iii) diversification of the economy.
- Macroeconomic performance and targets:
  - NDP outlook: non-oil growth of 4.0%, tax burden rate of 22.2%, replenishment of foreign exchange reserves beyond three (3) months of imports by 2022.
  - Implementation context: PREF-CEMAC, IMF Extended Credit Facility (ECF) agreement, and forecast of good oil prices; COVID-19 health crisis hindered reform implementation.
  - Non-oil economic growth averaged -1.5% during 2019-2021, compared with 3.1% forecast in the NDP.
  - 2020 contraction: -4.3% of non-oil GDP and -5.3% for overall GDP.
  - Tax pressure rate averaged 12.9% over the period, compared to 22.2% forecast.
  - Inflation remained below the CEMAC norm (3%) between 2018 and 2020.
  - Non-oil primary balance: annual average of -9.7% of GDP (2018-2020) vs NDP target of 14.3% of GDP.
  - Overall balance (accrual basis, excluding grants): surplus by an annual average of 1.9% of GDP vs target of 6.8% in the NDP.
  - Public debt level: 106.0% of GDP in 2020, compared with 76.3% in 2018 (above EU standard of 70% of GDP).
  - Current account balance: surplus by an annual average of 4.0% of GDP over 2018-2020 vs forecast deficit of 12.0% of GDP; trade balance CFAF 3 030.8 billion (46.0% of GDP).
  - Exports of goods averaged CFAF 4 661 billion annually over the period (74.0% of GDP); imports of goods stood at CFAF 1 816.8 billion (28.0% of GDP) vs CFAF 2 578.6 billion (38.0% of GDP) forecast.
- Evaluation findings and constraints:
  - Overall results considered weak due to: (i) insufficient financial resources and delays in mobilisation; (ii) weaknesses in development partnership strategy; (iii) poor identification and assessment of risks; (iv) low contribution of administrations to NDP implementation; (v) non-implementation of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
  - Additional hindering factors: (i) financial crisis from relatively low oil prices; (ii) questionable project prioritisation choices in annual budgets; (iii) suspension of the IMF agreement and budgetary support from TFPs; (iv) COVID-19 health crisis.
  - Unavailability of reliable statistics impeded establishment of reference situations, target setting and evaluation.
- Social performance:
  - Poverty incidence increased from 48.5% in 2019 to 52.5% in 2020 (World Bank estimates, 2021).
  - Unemployment: 10.3% of the total labour force in 2020 vs 9.6% in 2019.
  - Youth unemployment (ages 15 to 24, first-time job seekers) estimated at 21.6% in 2019 (International Labour Organisation, 2021).
  - Health: morbidity and mortality rates estimated at 39.9‰ and 6.6‰ respectively in 2019; infant mortality rate 34.9‰; under-five mortality rate 47.8‰.
  - Access to basic services in 2019: electricity 48.3%; water 68%.
- Performance by strategic axes (selected indicators):
  - Governance:
    - Mo Ibrahim Foundation Governance Index for Congo (IIAG) fell by 6.9 points from 43 points out of 100 in 2015 to 36.1 points out of 100 in 2019.
    - Notable underperformance components: security and rule of law (-12.6 points, including -21.4 points for the rule of law sub-component), participation and human rights (-8.1 points, including -15.5 points for the gender sub-component), sustainable economic development (-0.7 points, including -18.0 points for the business environment sub-component), and human development (-12.6 points, including -14.8 points for the health sub-component).
    - Progress in sub-components: personal security (33.1 points), national security (18.4 points), public management (16.3 points) and infrastructure (7.2 points).
  - Public management (CPIA):
    - Overall CPIA score in 2019: 2.7 (decline from 3.0 in 2015).
    - Underperforming sub-components: debt policy and management (2.0), business regulatory framework (2.0), financial sector (2.5).
    - Improvements: quality of public administration (3.0) and budget and financial management (3.0), linked to public finance management reforms.

*Source: Excerpt from the NDP 2022-2026 development and evaluations as presented in the source PDF.*

### 87. These results, compared to those of the implementation of the 2012-2016 NDP, show that

### 1cogea2023002 - 87. These results, compared to those of the implementation of the 2012-2016 NDP, show that

### Governance and overall assessment
- Progress in the area of governance is rather timid.
- The governance problems identified in the various diagnoses of the education sector still exist today.
- The monitoring and evaluation framework of the 2018-2022 NDP did not operate, preventing proper control of project implementation.

### In-depth reform of the education system
- Axis articulated around four sub-axes:
  - (i) promoting moral, civic and physical education and the fight against anti-values,
  - (ii) providing quality education for all,
  - (iii) adapting the education system and its products to the market needs of an emerging economy,
  - (iv) improving the governance of the education system.
- Evaluation constraints:
  - Due to insufficient data, the evaluation of this axis could only be partially carried out.
- Promote moral, civic and physical education and fight against anti-values:
  - Between 2018-2020, actions focused on training some managers, teachers and facilitators and on construction of school infrastructure.
  - Concrete actions to combat anti-values (corruption, misappropriation of funds, illicit enrichment, depravity of morals, etc.) were not possible during the period due to a lack of funding.
- Provide quality education for all:
  - Increase in number of pupils was not followed by recruitment of teachers to the civil service; many primary schools, particularly in rural areas, are run by unqualified 'volunteer' teachers.
  - Resulting conditions: very high pupil-teacher ratios, high repetition rates and low access rates to secondary school.
  - School infrastructure/equipment: fifty thousand (50,000) desks (primary, junior high and high school) over the 2017-2018 period.
  - Admission rates (2020-2021 school year): BEPC 57.3% and baccalaureate 35.7%; compared with 55.7% and 34.8% for 2019-2020.
  - Creation of Denis SASSOU NGUESSO University increased national supply of higher education courses.
- Adapt education to market needs:
  - Evaluation did not identify specific actions implemented for this sub-axis in the 2018-2022 NDP.
  - Technological courses created at Denis SASSOU NGUESSO University will train human resources compatible with market needs.
- Improve governance of the education system:
  - No significant actions during implementation period; need to organise the General States of Education remains on the agenda.

### Diversification, economic transformation and growth
- External shocks and performance:
  - Diversification objective thwarted by exogenous factors: drop in the price of a barrel of oil and the Covid-19 pandemic.
  - Non-oil GDP growth average rate: -4.9% (between 2018-2020) compared with NDP target of 4.0%.
  - Diversification index in 2020: 0.8, indicating exports are not diversified.
- Structural and business climate constraints:
  - Congo attracts very little non-oil foreign direct investment.
  - National private sector is not dynamic; private investment did not fully play expected role as main lever for growth and structural change.
- Sectoral performance (average growth over 2018-2020 compared with NDP forecasts):
  - Agriculture: -1.1% (0.3%, 0.9% and -4.5% in 2018, 2019 and 2020 respectively), compared with 4.8% forecast.
  - Tourism: -9.8% average per year, compared with 0.6% average growth forecast.
  - Manufacturing industry: 4.2% average per year, compared with 3.3% forecast.
- Reasons for weak NDP performance:
  - Persistence of the economic and financial crisis (from 2015 to the present) and interruption in 2020 of the agreement reached with the IMF in 2019.
  - Global health crisis of exceptional magnitude and duration disrupted macroeconomic forecasts and structural reforms.
  - Short period of full implementation: technically only one year (2019); 2020 and 2021 dominated by Covid-19 and the presidential election.
- Achievements despite context:
  - Construction of new basic infrastructure.
  - Improving access to electricity and drinking water throughout the country.
  - Financing of the health sub-sector, notably completion of construction and equipment of two of the twelve general hospitals.
  - Implementation of public finance management reforms.

### Recommendations for development and implementation of the NDP 2022-2026 — Development process
- Choice of strategic axes or pillars:
  - Align axes/pillars with fundamental development choices made by the President of the Republic and approved by the people in the March 2021 presidential election, prioritising establishment of a development base.
  - Guidelines:
    - Give priority to the economic logic to fight unemployment and poverty effectively;
    - Limit the number of strategic axes or pillars to avoid dispersion of resources;
    - Carry out in-depth analyses of selected axes/pillars from upstream to downstream, particularly through the sectoral strategy paper.
- Selection of priority projects:
  - Guidelines:
    - Select priority projects according to their impact on development and knock-on effects, urgency of problems, and ability to mobilise financial resources;
    - Carry out feasibility studies of projects included in the NDP;
    - Establish a framework for consultation on choice and design of cross-cutting projects.
- Statistical information:
  - Development process suffered from lack of statistical data preventing complete NDP indicator matrix and definition of basic values and targets for 2022.
  - Guidelines:
    - Continue and finalise national surveys in progress (RGPH, REGEC, EHCVM);
    - Carry out other national surveys (EDS, EESIC, ESISC, MICS, etc.).

### Recommendations for implementation of the NDP 2022-2026 — Implementation modalities
- Areas covered: (i) inclusiveness, (ii) financing scheme, (iii) public finance reforms: management in programme mode, (iv) national statistical system, (v) monitoring-evaluation mechanism, (vi) transposition into local development plans (LDP), (vii) communication strategy.
- Inclusiveness:
  - Essential to involve all components of society (centralized public institutions, local authorities, private sector, civil society organizations, TFPs) in NDP implementation throughout the country.
- Funding scheme — Guidelines:
  - Develop an appropriate and realistic financing scheme;
  - Use all relevant mechanisms to mobilise financial resources;
  - Pursue public finance reforms to improve security of internal resources;
  - Increase efforts to diversify sources of financing;
  - Exploit the potential of innovative financing;
  - Improve the business climate to encourage domestic and foreign private investors to finance NDP projects;
  - Boost public-private partnerships (PPP).
- Programme mode management:
  - Means budget did not allow adequate allocation for multi-year projects; switching state budget to programme mode will better monitor and secure resources.
  - Guideline: complete process of switching the state budget to programme mode.
- National Statistics System:
  - Availability of reliable, up-to-date statistics is essential to measure performance.
  - Guidelines:
    - Operationalise the Higher Commission for Statistics;
    - Validate and implement the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS).
- Monitoring and evaluation mechanism:
  - Non-operation of the monitoring and evaluation framework prevented project control.
  - Guidelines:
    - Operationalise the monitoring and evaluation framework as soon as the law on the NDP is adopted;
    - Strengthen technical and logistical capacities of administrations involved in monitoring and evaluating the NDP;
    - Implement principles of accountability and responsibility of all actors at all levels.
- Transposition into Local Development Plans (LDP):
  - NDP suffered from lack of local implementation, depriving departments of a coherent planning instrument.
  - Guideline: prepare local development plans as soon as the NDP law is adopted.
- Communication strategy:
  - 2012-2016 and 2018-2022 NDPs were not sufficiently disseminated.
  - Guidelines:
    - Organiser Organise awareness and ownership campaigns for the NDP at all levels (including outside the country);
    - Include a communication budget in the NDP;
    - Involve deconcentrated and decentralised structures as well as civil society in communication with the population;
    - Establish a framework for dialogue between departmental coordinators of the NDP and the population.

### Diagnostic analysis — Demographic and social status
- Population and distribution:
  - Estimated population of the Republic of Congo in 2021: 5,657,000, up 2.5% from 2020 and 16.5% from 2015.
  - Population density: 15.5 inhabitants per square kilometre.
  - In 2020, Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire housed 3 089 229 inhabitants (56.5%), of which 2 031 244 were in Brazzaville (INS, 2020).
- Life expectancy and age structure:
  - Life expectancy at birth in 2019: 65 years (7 years below world average of 72 years; slightly above sub-Saharan Africa average of 60 years).
  - Population predominantly young: 56% of the population is under 20 years old.
  - Working-age population growth and demographic dividend:
    - Country report notes window for demographic dividend opened in 1990.
    - In 1990 economic support ratio was 36% with a demographic dividend of 0.01%.
    - Projections: economic support ratio will increase to 44% in 2050 and demographic dividend to 0.58%.
- Labour force and employment (ILO estimates and surveys):
  - Working population (15 years and over) estimated by ILO in 2020: 3,088,000 (women 1,546,000; men 1,542,000).
  - Work dependency ratio: increased from 1.75 in 2015 to 1.86 in 2020 (ILO, 2021).
  - Unemployment and underemployment:
    - ETVA (2015): unemployment affects 30% of young people.
    - ILO: unemployment affected 10.3% of total active population in 2020, compared with 9.6% in 2019.
    - Underemployment estimated between 25 and 30%.
    - Unemployment in 15-24 age group: 21.6% (2019 data comparison: 6.7% for over-25s).
    - In 15-24 age group: unemployment affects 22.5% of young men and 20.7% of young women.
    - Unemployment higher in urban areas (11.1%) than rural areas (1.1%).
    - Employment rate in 2020: 59.5%, down 3.4 percentage points from 2013 (62.9%) (ILO estimates, 2021).
    - Self-employed share of employment in 2019: 77.0% (2017: 77.1%).
    - Vulnerable employment: 64.6% of men (ILO estimates); ETVA (2015) found 59.4% of young people aged 15-29 in vulnerable employment.
- Women's employment and representation:
  - Representation of women in 2021:
    - Government: 23%,
    - Parliament: 14%,
    - Departmental councils: 19%,
    - Communal councils: 24%.
  - More than 40% of members of chambers of commerce, industry, agriculture and trades in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire are women.
  - ILO 2019 unemployment rates: women 10.2%, men 9%.
  - Female employment concentrated in agriculture: women represent 70% of agricultural workforce, mainly in informal sector without social security coverage.
- Poverty and inequality:
  - ECOM surveys (2005 and 2011): poverty declined from 50.7% in 2005 to 46.5% in 2011 (decline of 4.2 percentage points in 6 years).
  - Poverty more acute in rural areas; evolution 2005→2011:
    - Brazzaville: poverty rate 53,4 → 29,4 (variation −24); depth 22 → 7,9 (variation −14,1); severity 11,6 → 3,2 (variation −8,4).
    - Pointe-Noire: poverty rate 32,2 → 25,5 (variation −6,7); depth 9,5 → 6,2 (variation −3,3); severity 4 → 2,3 (variation −1,7).
    - Other municipalities: poverty rate 51,2 → 55 (variation 3,8); depth 19 → 18,9 (variation −0,1); severity 9,6 → 8,5 (variation −1,1).
    - Semi-urban: poverty rate 59,5 → 57,8 (variation −1,7); depth 28,9 → 19,8 (variation −9,1); severity 17,7 → 8,7 (variation −9).
    - Rural areas: poverty rate 57,7 → 74,8 (variation 17,1); depth 20,6 → 31,6 (variation 11); severity 10,1 → 16,7 (variation 6,6).
    - Congo overall: poverty rate 50,7 → 46,5 (variation −3,6); depth 18,9 → 16,7 (variation −2,2); severity 9,6 → 8,1 (variation −1,5).
  - Interpretation: decline in poverty rate in large urban centres contrasts with upward trend in rural areas; depth and severity of poverty increased in rural areas.

*Source: 1cogea2023002 - 87. These results, compared to those of the implementation of the 2012-2016 NDP, show that*

### 126. More recent estimates indicate that the poverty rate in Congo has risen from 48.5% in 2019

### 1cogea2023002 - 126. More recent estimates indicate that the poverty rate in Congo has risen from 48.5% in 2019

### Poverty levels and pandemic impact
- Poverty rate rose from 48.5% in 2019 to 52.5% in 2020 (World Bank, 2021).
- Increase linked to economic recession of recent years and aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
- INS survey (2020) — households reporting inability to pay for basic needs:
  - Rent: 51.8%
  - Electricity and water: 39.1%
  - Food: 40.7%
  - Health needs: 26.8%

### Multidimensional poverty (MPI) dynamics and composition
- MPI was 0.112 in 2011-2012 (source table labels these years) and 0.112 (table shows 2014-2015 value as 0,112).
- Incidence of population living in multidimensional poverty: 43,0% (2011-2012) -> 24,3% (2014-2015).
- Level of deprivation: 44,7% (2011-2012) -> 46,0% (2014-2015).
- Degree of deprivation increased by 1.3 percentage points (from 44.7% to 46%) between the two periods.
- Share of deprivation in overall poverty dimension (2011-2012 -> 2014-2015):
  - Education: 10,6 -> 20,2
  - Health: 32,8 -> 23,4
  - Standard of living: 56,6 -> 56,4
- Population vulnerable to poverty: 26,2% (2011-2012) -> 21,3% (2014-2015).
- Population living in extreme poverty: 12,2% (2011-2012) -> 9,4% (2014-2015).
- Population with income below the poverty line (%):
  - 1.90 USD/day (PPA): 37
  - National poverty line: 46,5 (2014-2015 column shows “-” for national poverty line in table)

- MPI construction note: synthetic index using ten indicators covering three dimensions: health (nutrition, child mortality); education (years of education and school enrolment); standard of living (electricity, water, sanitation, cooking fuel, flooring, and asset ownership).

### Human development and inequality
- Human Development Index (HDI) estimated at 0.574 in 2019, up from 0.613 in 2015. Congo ranked 149th and placed in the medium human development category.
- Income concentration: richest 10% hold 37.9% of national income. In Central Africa, only Angola has a higher rate (39.6%) (UNDP 2020).

### Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) status (Targets Index 2020)
- SDG 1: No Poverty
  - Poverty rate at 1.90 per day (%): 67
  - Poverty rate at 3.20 per day (%): 85,8
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger
  - Prevalence of undernourishment (as a percentage of the population): 40,3
- SDG 3: Good health and well-being
  - Maternal mortality ratio (per 100,000 live births): 378
  - Life expectancy at birth (years): 64,3
- SDG 4: Quality education
  - Primary completion rate, total (percentage of relevant age group): 71,6
  - Literacy rate, total adults (percentage of people aged 15 and over): 80,3
- SDG 5: Gender equality
  - Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments (%): 11,3
- SDG 6: Water and sewerage
  - Population using at least basic drinking water services (%): 73,2
  - Population using at least basic sanitation services (%): 20,2
- SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy
  - Population with access to electricity: 66,2
- SDG 8: Economic growth and decent work
  - GDP per capita growth (annual percentage): -6
  - Adults with an account at a bank or other financial institution or with a mobile money service provider (% of population aged 15 years or older): 26,1
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  - Manufacturing, value added (as a percentage of GDP): 8,6
  - Population using the Internet (%): 8,7
  - Mobile broadband subscriptions (per 100 inhabitants): 6
- SDG 10: Reducing Inequalities
  - Adjusted Gini coefficient for top incomes: 52
- SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities
  - Urban population (as a percentage of total): 67,4
  - Satisfaction with public transport: 53,2
- SDG 12: Sustainable consumption and production
  - Co2 emissions from liquid fuel consumption (kt): 2321,2
  - Co2 emissions from gaseous fuel consumption (kt): 487,7
- SDG 13: Climate change
  - Energy-related CO2 emissions (tCO2/inhabitant): 0,5
- SDG 14: Aquatic Life
  - Ocean Health Index: Clean Water Score (worst 0-100 best): 49,1
- SDG 15: Life and Earth
  - Permanent deforestation (% of average forest area over 5 years): 0,1
  - Red List Index of species survival (worst 0-1 best): 1
  - Corruption perception index (worst 0-100 best): 19
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
  - Press Freedom Index (best 0-100 worst): 36
  - Children involved in child labour (% of population aged 5-14): 23,3
- SDG 17: Partnership for the achievement of the Goals
  - Public expenditure on health and education (% of GDP): 6,1

(Source for table: World Bank and IMF, Article IV report of 05 October 2021)

### Access to basic social services — Health
- Morbidity and mortality in 2019: morbidity 39.9‰ and mortality 6.6‰.
- Maternal mortality ratio: 378 deaths per 100,000 live births (WHO, 2021).
- Births attended by skilled personnel: 90% (SARA Survey, 2019).
- Infant mortality rate: 34.9‰.
- Under-5 mortality: 47.8 deaths per 1000 live births (WHO, 2021); peaked at 114 deaths per 1000 live births in 2000.
- Malaria incidence: 80‰ in 2019 (427,465 cases) -> 26‰ in 2020 (146,262 cases). Mortality at health facility level decreased from 23% to 9% (DEP MSP, 2020).
- Social security coverage: covers only 5% of households (INS, 2020).
- In 2020, households bore 52% of current health expenditure (WHO 2021).
  - More than two hundred thousand (200,000) individuals face catastrophic health expenditure.
  - Health risks twice as high in the poorest strata.
- State covers only 36% of household health expenditure (WHO 2021).
- Budgetary allocations to health: 5% in 2015 -> 8.8% of the state budget in 2019 -> 12.9% in 2020; not yet at Abuja Declaration target of 15%.

- HIV-AIDS prevalence: 3.2% (INS, 2009). Ministry of Health and Population estimate for 2020: 89,000 people living with HIV-AIDS, including 82,000 adults over the age of 15.

Epidemiological situation related to Covid-19
- First confirmed Covid-19 case recorded on 14 March 2020.
- As of 21 October 2021: cumulative confirmed cases 16,868 with 249 deaths.
- Vaccination campaign started on 25 March 2021.
- As of 20 October 2021: 480,880 people vaccinated, against an initial target of just over 3 million (60% of the total population).

### Access to basic social services — Education
- Gross enrolment rates (GER) 2019-2020:
  - Primary education GER: 106.1%
  - Lower secondary GER: 82.8%
  - Upper secondary GER: 49.9%
- Gender parity index (2005–2015):
  - Primary level: 1.01
  - Lower secondary level: 0.89
  - Upper secondary level: 0.62
- Indigenous pupil enrollment (2018 school census):
  - Primary schools: 5,670 indigenous pupils (0.69%)
  - 'Observe-Reflect-Act' (ORA) schools: 2,873 pupils (1.1%)
  - Lower secondary schools: 256
  - Upper secondary schools: 97
  - Less than 40% of indigenous children are enrolled in primary education (UNICEF-Congo, 2020).
- Learning outcomes (PASEC 2019):
  - 66.6% of pupils do not reach the 'sufficient' threshold in mathematics.
  - 21% do not reach the 'sufficient' threshold in French.
- Contributing constraints:
  - Shortage of qualified teachers and heavy use of volunteer teachers, especially rural.
  - High pupil/teacher ratio: average 45 pupils (target of 2030 agenda not met).
  - Pupil/classroom ratio estimated at 106.9 on average in 2020.

### Access to basic social services — Electricity, water, sanitation
- Access to electricity in 2019: 48.3% overall (urban 65.2% vs rural 12.7%) (WDI, 2021).
- Access to drinking water (UNICEF-Congo, 2021): 68% of the population (urban 85% vs rural 56%).
- Sanitation: A quarter of the population has a modern private toilet; others use precarious facilities or practice open defecation.

### Macroeconomic context and COVID-19 effects on growth
- GDP growth:
  - 2019: 1.0%
  - 2020: -6.2% (mainly due to Covid-19 and collapse in world oil prices).
- Supply-side contributions to 2020 decline:
  - Industrial sector: -3.5% (contribution -1.7 percentage points)
  - Services sector: -9.9% (contribution -4.0 percentage points)
  - Tertiary underperformance contributions: public administration (-2.9 percentage points), trade (-1.3 percentage points), transport (-0.3 percentage points), financial services (-0.2 percentage points).
  - Secondary sector negative contributions: oil and gas extraction (-1.8 percentage points), construction (-0.4 percentage points).
  - Primary sector slight upturn: +0.3 percentage points (agriculture +0.2, forestry and logging +0.1).
- Demand-side dynamics:
  - Exports contributed 16.3 percentage points to GDP in 2020 (dependence on crude oil exports).
  - External demand grew at an average annual rate of 5.0% over 2014-2020.
  - Public and private consumption decline over 2014-2020: -3.7% (domestic demand).
  - Investment fell by an average of 18.0% per year over 2014-2020; in 2020 investment contributed negatively by -11 percentage points, explaining 45.0% of the decline in GDP.

*Italic: Source — 1cogea2023002 (extracted content).*

### 160. The agricultural sector has experienced slow growth despite the government's actions. The

### 1cogea2023002 - 160. The agricultural sector has experienced slow growth despite the government's actions. The

### Agriculture: performance and determinants of underperformance
- 2018-2022 NDP targeted agricultural production increases of 6.1% in 2018, 4.1% in 2019 and 4.3% in 2020.
- Actual annual average agricultural growth between 2018 and 2020: 1.6%.
- Agricultural growth over 2012-2014 period: 5.7% (for comparison).
- Causes of underperformance:
  - loss of investment in the agricultural sector;
  - failure of policies implemented to structure the sectors;
  - disruption of supply chains caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
- Consequence: dependence on food imports, which represent around 25% of merchandise imports and are the 2nd largest item of merchandise imports, behind imports of machinery.
- Share and growth in 2015-2020:
  - Share of agricultural production in GDP rose from 3.7% of GDP in 2015 to 5.2% of GDP in 2020, an average growth of 4.5% per year.
  - As a percentage of non-oil GDP, agricultural share rose from 4.9% to 7.9%, representing an average annual growth of 6.5%.

### Industry: trends and sub-sector performance (2014–2020)
- Overall secondary sector:
  - Recorded decline from 4.5% in 2017 to -3.5% in 2020, average rate 1.6% (period referenced: 2017–2020).
  - Share of the secondary sector in GDP fell from 58.1% in 2017 to 25.9% in 2020.
- Hydrocarbon extraction:
  - Share fell from 36.9% in 2017 to 10.8% in 2020.
- Sharp declines (average growth rates over 2017-2020):
  - Construction: -39.5%
  - Some manufacturing industries: -19.5%
  - Woodworking industries: -24.8%
- Drivers of underperformance: stoppage of many construction sites and disruption of trade and supply of intermediate and capital goods.
- Sub-sectors with slight positive performance (2017-2020 annual averages):
  - Food industry: 0.6%
  - Chemical industries: 2.3%
  - Manufacture of non-metallic mineral products: 2.4%
  - Electricity and water production and distribution: 8.5% (average annual growth).
- Table 4 (selected annual growth rates of GDP in the secondary sector, %):
  - The secondary sector: 2014: 6,5; 2015: -6,3; 2016: -22,1; 2017: 4,5; 2018: -7,9; 2019: 0,8; 2020: -3,5
  - Extraction of hydrocarbons: 2014: 2,2; 2015: -9,3; 2016: -8,4; 2017: 25,3; 2018: 12,0; 2019: 2,2; 2020: -4,9
  - Food industry: 2014: -0,8; 2015: -17,4; 2016: 4,9; 2017: 6,4; 2018: -15,5; 2019: 2,0; 2020: 11,7
  - Woodworking, wood products or basketry: 2014: -28,7; 2015: -21,9; 2016: -18,1; 2017: -3,7; 2018: -24,5; 2019: -62,2; 2020: 16,3
  - Chemical industries: 2014: -13,6; 2015: -44,8; 2016: 9,3; 2017: 35,1; 2018: -17,3; 2019: -10,6; 2020: 9,7
  - Manufacture of non-metallic mineral products: 2014: -26,8; 2015: -8,4; 2016: -8,5; 2017: 1,9; 2018: 12,9; 2019: -10,2; 2020: 6,4
  - Other manufacturing industries: 2014: 9,5; 2015: -10,8; 2016: 9,3; 2017: -31,7; 2018: -11,9; 2019: -11,4; 2020: -21,0
  - Electricity and water supply: 2014: 40,1; 2015: 8,7; 2016: -13,5; 2017: 8,0; 2018: 18,8; 2019: 4,6; 2020: 3,4
  - Construction: 2014: 22,7; 2015: 6,9; 2016: -49,2; 2017: -23,1; 2018: -72,2; 2019: -10,5; 2020: -30,1

### Tertiary sector and tourism
- Tertiary sector overall: average annual growth rate of -4.7% over 2018-2020.
  - Declines driven by Post and telecommunications: -26.7% and public administration activities: -24.1%.
  - Banking and insurance performed well: 13.6% over same period.
  - Average share of tertiary sector in GDP during same period: 44.5%.
- Tourism specifics:
  - Tourism has not been the subject of real promotion for significant development; contribution to employment and wealth creation remains low.
  - Number of tourists fell from 229,000 in 2014 to 158,000 in 2018 (UNWTO, 2019).
  - Hotel arrivals fell from 460,811 in 2014 to 236,147 in 2018.
  - Number of hotel facilities decreased from 1 381 to 969 establishments (2014–2018).
  - Number of restaurants decreased from 718 to 594 (2014–2018).
  - Constraints: lack of amusement and exhibition parks in urban centres, underdeveloped monuments and historical sites, lack of large theatres and cinemas, insufficient commercial centres and health care facilities of international standards, poor security at tourist sites, poorly developed transport services (air, sea, rail, road, river), insufficient organisation of tourist or commercial events (fairs, exhibitions, major international sporting events).

### Competitiveness and business environment
- Structural, administrative, and cultural factors undermine competitiveness:
  - poor supply of electricity and water, transport routes for goods, telecoms, credit for businesses;
  - cumbersome procedures and therefore costs borne by businesses, lack of effective state support for businesses, corruption;
  - cultural: little attention paid to business life, suspicions of theft by society against successful businesses and entrepreneurs.
- Ease of doing business:
  - World Bank 2020 "Doing Business" ranking: Congo ranks 180th out of 190 countries (same as in 2019).
  - Positive 2020 point: improvement in access to credit information via framework for approval and operation of credit bureaus across CEMAC.
- Economic freedom (Heritage Foundation Index) 2014–2020 (selected values):
  - Score global: 2014: 43,7; 2017: 40,0; 2018: 38,9; 2019: 39,7; 2020: 41,8
  - Freedom to do business: 2014: 35,1; 2017: 32,1; 2018: 31,3; 2019: 38,2; 2020: 37,5
  - Freedom to invest: 2014: 20,0; 2017: 50,0; 2018: 50,0; 2019: 45,0; 2020: 45,0
  - Financial freedom: 2014: 30,0; 2017: 30,0; 2018: 30,0; 2019: 30,0; 2020: 30,0
  - Tax liability: 2014: 67,5; 2017: 66,8; 2018: 60,8; 2019: 59,5; 2020: 63,3

### Foreign direct investment (FDI)
- Congo received US$4,016 million in FDI in 2020, an increase of 19% compared to 2019 (US$3,366 million).
- These investments were mainly directed towards financing oil activities.

### Inflation (2016–2021)
- Inflation trajectory:
  - 2016: 4.6% (above the EU norm of 3%).
  - 2018: 1.1%
  - 2019: 2.3%
  - 2020: 1.4%
- By component in 2020: prices of transport services increased by 4.3% on an annual basis, reflecting an increase in the non-food price index due to countermeasures limiting public transport passengers.
- IMF expectation for 2021: annual average headline inflation expected to rise slightly to 2.0%, remaining below the 3.0% target set by CEMAC.

### Financing the economy: domestic credit, capital market, microfinance
- Net domestic credit (2018–2020):
  - Average (2018-2020): just over CFAF 1.6 trillion per year.
  - Credits to the economy stabilized around CFAF 1 000 billion per year.
  - Net claims on the state averaged CFAF 500 billion with a peak of CFAF 869 billion in 2020.
  - Net domestic credit in 2020: CFAF 1 931.3 billion (increase of 36.7% from CFAF 1 413.3 billion in 2019).
  - Increase linked to net claims on the State (+79.1%) and credits to the economy (+14.4%).
- Table 6: Evolution of domestic credit of banks (in billions of FCFA):
  - Net domestic credit: 2018: 1 689,8; 2019: 1413,3; 2020: 1 931,3; April-2021: 1 231,9; Average 2018-2020: 1 678,2
  - Net claims on the State: 2018: 554,3; 2019: 485,4; 2020: 869,4; April-2021: 237,6; Average 2018-2020: 636,4
  - Loans to the economy: 2018: 1 135,5; 2019: 927,9; 2020: 1 061,9; April-2021: 994,3; Average 2018-2020: 1 041,8
- Banking sector developments:
  - Payment of domestic debt to the tune of CFAF 300 billion by banks within the Brazzaville Club supported recovery.
  - As at 30 April 2021, gross credits to customers increased by 16.7% compared to 2020 to reach CFAF 1,373.5 billion, of which CFAF 1,231.9 billion were domestic credits.
  - Private sector received CFAF 994.3 billion; the State received CFAF 159.9 billion; public enterprises received CFAF 77.7 billion.
- Capital market (public securities):
  - Since February 2017, total funds raised by Congo on the sub-regional market stood at 1 454.9 billion at end-May 2021.
  - Amounts raised accelerated: increase of almost 582% in 2019 and an increase of 70.8% between 2019 and 2020.
  - Outstanding Treasury securities composition: 83.8% OTAs and 6.2% BTAs.
  - Non-resident investors hold 62.2% of total outstandings; BEAC holds 9.4% as part of buyback programme.
- Microfinance:
  - Contribution to financing the economy has increased in recent years.
  - Transformation rate of savings collected into loans: 55% in 2017 and 63% in 2020.
  - Example figures (2017–2020, in billions of CFA francs): Credits granted / Deposits carried out series: 84.591 / 81.331 (2017); 99.211 / 116.659 (2018); 153.121 / 159.334 (2019); 171.152 / 184.592 (2020).

### Public finances and debt
- Government revenues:
  - Dominated by oil revenues; significantly affected by mid-2014 oil price collapse.
  - Petroleum revenues fell from 37.5% of GDP in 2014 to 12.3% of GDP in 2020.
  - Oil revenues averaged about 15.3% of GDP over 2014-2019.
- Non-oil revenues: regressive trend from 9.7% of GDP in 2014 to 9.4% in 2020.
- Current expenditure:
  - Downward trend between 2016 and 2019; increased in 2020 to 23.2% of GDP due to emergency Covid-19 spending.
- Capital expenditure:
  - Drastic fiscal adjustment between 2014 (2 161.3 billion) and 2020 (2 14.1 billion).
- Non-oil primary deficit widened over 2014-2020.
- Debt levels:
  - National debt ratio increased from 42.3% of GDP in 2014 to 104.1% of GDP in 2020.
  - Drivers: collapse of GDP from 2016 onwards and financing needs of public investments before the 2014 commodity crisis.
  - IMF staff mission (as of September 2021): debt sustainability restored, but significant vulnerabilities remain due to liquidity risks and low resilience to adverse global oil price shocks.
  - Overall debt expected to be reduced to 83.3% of GDP by end of 2021.
- Domestic arrears:
  - Partly repaid through domestic financing provided through the Brazzaville Club.
  - Box 1 — Brazzaville Club summary:
    - Banking pool (BGFI Bank, LCB, Eco Bank, BSCA) created in 2020 to support repayment of domestic arrears (23% of GDP accumulated by the government over the last decade).
    - The Club buys domestic public debt held by the private sector at a nominal discount of 15-30%, except social arrears (no discount).
    - Government reimburses via escrow account at interest rate of 6.5%.
    - By end-2020, CFAF 332 billion of arrears (6% of GDP) had been repaid via the Club.
    - Advantages: repayment spread over 8 years with 2-year grace period; improves private sector liquidity and facilitates repayment of outstanding loans and reduction of NPLs.

### Foreign trade and external balance
- External balance improving due to increase in the trade balance and reduction in services deficit.
- Current account before Covid-19: deficits were large, -39.9% of GDP in 2015 and -50.3% in 2018.
- External current account balanced in 2020 thanks to favorable developments in the oil sector and compression of imports linked to recession and fiscal adjustment.
- Sharp reduction in imports of consumer goods and services due to Covid-19 played an essential role in return to current account balance.

### Challenges in laying foundations for a strong, diversified and resilient economy
- Structural impediments across sectors: weak infrastructure (electricity, water, transport, telecoms), limited access to business credit, cumbersome administrative procedures, corruption, low attractiveness to FDI outside oil, and cultural constraints against entrepreneurship.
- Sector-specific vulnerabilities: heavy reliance on hydrocarbons, underperforming agriculture despite NDP targets, weak tourism promotion and infrastructure, fragile fiscal position and high public debt vulnerability to oil price shocks.

*Source: 1cogea2023002 - 160. The agricultural sector has experienced slow growth despite the government's actions. The (PDF chapter).*

### 190. The above analysis of the socio-economic situation shows that the Congo faces a number

### 1cogea2023002 - 190. The above analysis of the socio-economic situation shows that the Congo faces a number

### Economic challenges (Box 2)
- The Congolese economy remains insufficiently diversified and particularly vulnerable to fluctuations in raw material prices.
- For the period 2022-2026, during the implementation of the NDP, the country's main objective is to build a strong, diversified and resilient economy.
- Major challenges to be met:
  - (i) the densification and diversification of the economy to better resist exogenous shocks;
  - (ii) the creation of synergies between national economic activities for sustainable and inclusive growth;
  - (iii) the improvement of the business environment in order to encourage the private sector and attract more foreign direct investment;
  - (iv) good public economic and financial governance to provide a good macroeconomic and financial framework for the various economic agents;
  - (v) the formulation of reformist and realistic public policies;
  - (vi) the increase of credit to the economy;
  - (vii) the increase in the quality and number of basic infrastructures (energy, communication, telecommunications, etc.) for the competitiveness of the economy;
  - (viii) the improvement of the quality and number of public services;
  - (ix) the development of the public sector.
- Additional emphases (repeated/expanded in source):
  - (vii) increasing the quality and number of basic infrastructures (energy, communications, telecommunications, etc.) for the competitiveness of the Congolese economy;
  - (viii) increasing the number of technical and vocational training programmes adapted to the needs of the economy;
  - (ix) setting up an integrated national development financing framework (IINFF).

### Social challenges (Box 3)
- Social sectors continue to face diverse challenges, aggravated by the disruptive effects of the covid-19 pandemic crisis.
- Education sector main challenges:
  - (i) good governance of the education system by improving education services through increased budgetary allocations;
  - (ii) strengthening the quality, capacity and efficiency of the system;
  - (iii) effective management of human resources in all its components (recruitment, assignments, career management, etc.);
  - (iv) adaptation of the education system to the needs of the population;
  - (v) adaptation of education and training programmes to the needs of the economy;
  - (vi) the proper provision of school and university infrastructure and materials (classrooms and tutorials, teaching and technological materials, etc.);
  - (vii) the improvement of the quality of basic education with a greater qualification of teaching staff.
- Health sector main challenges:
  - (i) effective management of the health system;
  - (ii) improvement of the supply chain for medicines and other health products;
  - (iii) resilience of the system to epidemics and health emergencies by providing health centres with equipment, medicines and appropriate human resources;
  - (iv) effective management of human resources for health;
  - (v) promotion and revitalisation of health districts;
  - (vi) strengthening of the social protection system by extending non-contributory mechanisms of protection.
- Electricity, water and sanitation sector main challenges:
  - (i) strengthening the production, transport and distribution capacity of water and electricity;
  - (ii) promoting access to water and electricity in peri-urban and rural areas to contribute to the balanced development of the national territory;
  - (iii) promoting renewable energy;
  - (iv) managing wastewater and rainwater as well as solid waste;
  - (v) promoting the implementation of large-scale sanitation and hygiene programmes.

### Strategic orientation (sections 5.4 and 3.1)
- The NDP 2022-2026 adopts a change in development approach: a second generation NDP focusing on creating wealth upstream so downstream levers can address economic, social, infrastructure, environmental, cultural and sovereignty problems.
- New development paradigm: "all economy for all social".
- Key strategic choices for the "all economy":
  - Focus NDP activities on the economy to make it stronger, more diversified and resilient; direct resources toward wealth-creating activities that are numerous, diverse and dynamic to enable resistance to exogenous and endogenous shocks.
  - Prioritise development of economic activities within reach, notably agriculture in the broad sense, industry based on agriculture and existing raw materials, development of special economic zones (SEZ), development of tourism, development of the digital economy, and construction using locally produced materials (cement, concrete iron, timber, galvanised sheet metal, PVC, electric cables, etc.).
  - Attract foreign private capital and encourage its deployment across priority activities of the NDP to compensate for the narrowness and limited financing capacity of the national private sector.
  - Rely on the private sector to achieve NDP objectives; the state will exert pull effects by improving competitiveness and the business climate so the private sector plays a greater role in structural transformation.
- The strategic orientation rests on six (6) pillars and on government efforts in accompanying areas to enable the population to benefit from social dividends.

### NDP pillars and priority sectors (figures and sections 195–201)
- The NDP prioritises the economy to generate means to resolve other problems; the strategic pillars are:
  - (i) agriculture in the broad sense (land cultivation, fishing, livestock and agroforestry) as a lever for structural transformation, employment, poverty reduction, food security and external balance;
  - (ii) industry to broaden the productive base, create jobs, modernise the economy and stimulate entrepreneurship;
  - (iii) Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to intensify industrial development, attract investors, boost local entrepreneurship and support exports;
  - (iv) tourism to exploit cultural, natural and historical assets and diversify away from an "all-oil" growth model;
  - (v) the digital economy to modernise the economy, increase productivity and reduce the digital divide, offering job opportunities especially for youth;
  - (vi) real estate to ensure decent housing, provide office and commercial buildings, and mobilise construction materials (stone, sand, clay, water, cement, iron, wood, etc.) under an updated regulatory framework (urban planning and construction code).
- Complementary cross-cutting enablers shown in the conceptual scheme:
  - Financing the Economy; Good Governance; Improving Business Environment; Human resources; Environmental and sustainable development; Infrastructure consolidations; Peace, security and political stability; Private sector development; Implementation of reforms.

### Sectoral policies to be continued during NDP implementation (Box 4)
- A) National Health Policy (NHP) 2018-2030 — overall objective: improve population health by ensuring universal access to integrated, continuous and person-centred health care by 2030. 2030 targets:
  - (i) maternal mortality is reduced from 436 to 300 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births;
  - (ii) infant and child mortality is reduced from 52 to 20 deaths per 1. 000 live births;
  - (iii) mortality linked to communicable diseases is reduced by 20%;
  - (iv) the prevalence of risk factors for non-communicable diseases is reduced by half;
  - (v) the prevalence of risky behaviour among adolescents and young people is reduced by half;
  - (vi) the vulnerability of the population to epidemics, disasters and other health events is reduced by half;
  - (vii) half of the Congolese population is protected against the financial risk of paying for health care and services.
- B) Education Sector Strategy (ESS) 2021-2030 — vision focuses on:
  - (i) offering quality basic education for all young Congolese with knowledge, skills, attitudes and basic values for empowerment and social integration;
  - (ii) a training system where technical and vocational colleges and high schools provide necessary qualifications for economic development;
  - (iii) higher education training of competent and creative executives open to technological evolutions and economic engagement to serve socio-professional integration and sustainable development.
- C) National Social Action Policy (NSAP) — overall objective: build adequate and efficient social action systems. Specific objectives include:
  - (i) provide the entire population with a non-contributory social protection base, including social transfers and services to reduce poverty, vulnerability and inequality and promote human capital;
  - (ii) reduce the risk and negative effects of natural and man-made disasters through prevention, preparedness, rapid response and post-disaster recovery;
  - (iii) build a strong social welfare system with adequate legal, institutional and operational framework.
- D) National Strategy for Sustainable Development (SNDD) — vision for 2030: establish foundations for sustainable development through rational management of natural resources, improved governance, infrastructure modernisation, basic social services, and economic diversification. Objectives include improved public affairs management, environmentally friendly sector strategies, decentralised integrated planning, and mobilisation of additional funding through a coherent framework.
- E) National Environmental Action Policy (NEAP) — overall objective: ensure a healthy environment and sustainable development. Aims include:
  - (i) reduce degradation of natural ecosystems;
  - (ii) improve the living environment;
  - (iii) ensure sustainable and rational use of natural resources;
  - (iv) improve the health of the population;
  - (v) enhance the green heritage;
  - (vi) reduce urban and marine pollution.
- F) National Gender Policy (NGP) — general aim: integrate gender issues into all development sectors to promote gender equality and equity; provide a framework for guiding gender mainstreaming in the national development process.

### Expected effects of the NDP (section 203)
- The NDP 2022-2026 focuses on building a strong, diversified and resilient economy for inclusive growth and irreversible sustainable development.
- The plan's innovative character is its vocation to integrate concerns of various societal sectors while retaining creation and availability of wealth as the main lever for sustainably addressing economic, social, sovereignty and environmental protection problems.

*Source: 1cogea2023002 - 190. The above analysis of the socio-economic situation shows that the Congo faces a number — IMF PDF chapter/section*

### 204. With a view to moving away from 'all oil' and subsequently ensuring the resilience of the

### 1cogea2023002 - 204. With a view to moving away from 'all oil' and subsequently ensuring the resilience of the

### Overview and objectives
- NDP 2022-2026 aims to restructure the economy to move away from dependence on oil by relying on high-growth activities: agriculture in the broad sense, industry, special economic zones, tourism, the digital economy and real estate.
- Definition of a strong, diversified and resilient economy: steady high-rate growth from many varied activities that mutually enrich each other and resist negative downturns by slowing rather than collapsing.
- High vulnerability to external shocks—particularly fluctuations in the world price of oil, the main source of state revenue and main export—necessitates policies to expand Congo's productive base.

- Specific objectives of NDP 2022-2026 after five years:
  - The beginning of a real structural transformation of the economy: expansion of the productive base and range of products across primary, secondary and tertiary sectors.
  - Regular and strong growth of the economy: diversification to address recurrent instability of economic growth and generate relatively high and sustained year-to-year growth.
  - A constant progression of gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) in relation to GDP: continuous increase in productive investment.
  - The creation of a large number of decent jobs in productive activities and a sharp reduction in poverty through reshaping the productive system to generate inclusive growth.
  - A decrease in commodity imports, an increase in exports and foreign exchange reserves via development of agriculture, industry and special economic zones to achieve balance of payments surpluses and increased foreign exchange reserves.
  - A diversified economy at the service of social progress: allocate annually created wealth to investment and financing social sectors (health, education, social protection and sovereignty) and reinforcing basic infrastructure for development.

### Large Pillar 1: Development of agriculture in a wider spectrum — Issues and bottlenecks
- Natural potential:
  - 10 million hectares of arable land of which only less than 2% is exploited.
  - Abundant rainfall estimated at more than 1,300 mm per year.
  - Vast hydrographic network, dense urban market and export opportunities.

- Current performance and gaps:
  - Agriculture contribution to GDP: average 5% (2010-2016), 7.8% in 2019, 9.0% in 2020.
  - Agricultural value added in real terms: CFAF 318.58 billion in 2017, CFAF 317.6 billion in 2019, CFAF 298.54 billion in 2020.
  - National food production increasing but insufficient; food imports between 500 and 700 billion CFA francs depending on the year.
  - Meat consumption estimated at 3.44 kg/inhabitant/year; domestic livestock production insufficient despite pastures able to house 3 to 4 million head of cattle.
  - Fish consumption estimated at around 100 000 tonnes/year, largely met by imports (IFAD, 2015).
  - Food imports account for an average of 25% of merchandise imports, second only to machinery imports.

- Main bottlenecks:
  - Low rate of mechanisation, estimated at 1% of agricultural work.
  - Limited access to quality seeds.
  - Absence of an adapted financing mechanism.
  - Absence of modern means of processing and preserving products.
  - Dependence on rainfall.

### Large Pillar 1: Strategic and specific objectives
- Strategic objective: improve production, productivity and competitiveness of agricultural products to increase producer and national income and improve the agricultural trade balance by reducing imports and increasing exports.

- Five specific objectives:
  1. Contribute to satisfying national demand for poultry products, other animal species and fishery products for mass consumption (noting Congolese food imports are 80% animal-based).
  2. Increase production of feed inputs (livestock feed cited as main obstacle to livestock development).
  3. Contribute to meeting national demand for staple food, fruit crops and agroforestry products; add value to non-wood forest products and increase supply of wood energy and carbon for climate regulation.
  4. Improve conditions for agriculture, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture to make production more economical and easier.
  5. Strengthen resources and skills necessary to achieve the first four objectives.

- Implementation pathways and selected projects (by specific objective):
  - Specific objective 1 (animal & fisheries production): two programmes—animal production development programme and fisheries production development programme.
    - Animal production programme aims to develop poultry, cattle, goat, sheep and pig sectors; strengthen capacities of support structures; promote marketing and processing of meat products.
    - Projects include: development of the pig sector; development of the cattle sector; development of small ruminants; development of the poultry sector; project to control epizootics and epidemio-surveillance; support for animal sharecropping; small-scale livestock breeding and feed manufacturing equipment.
    - Fisheries programme aims to improve fishing and aquaculture techniques; promote marketing, processing and conservation of fishery products; combat undeclared and unregulated illegal fishing; evaluate fishery resources; strengthen capacities of support structures.
    - Fisheries projects include: project for the development of continental fishing and aquaculture (PDPAC); project to improve maritime fishing and sustainable management; project to promote fish farming in floating cages; project to set up aquaculture zones; construction of the Yoro fishing port and access roads; creation of ten fish farming areas of at least 150 ponds each by 2026; project for fish farming production of at least 123,454 tonnes; rehabilitation of the Dzoumouna, Madingou, Gamboma and Ewo estates by the end of 2022; construction of a school for fishing professions in Mossaka.

  - Specific objective 2 (feed production): one major programme to increase production of inputs for livestock feed.
    - Projects: (i) the maize project, (ii) the soybean project, (iii) the sorghum project, (iv) the cowpea project.

  - Specific objective 3 (crop and agroforestry):
    - Crop production development programme aims to intensify market gardening in urban and peri-urban areas; develop fruit-growing sectors (citrus, pineapple, sweet bananas, mangoes, saffron, avocados, etc.); develop the female labour force in agriculture.
    - Projects include acquisition and dissemination of plant material and agricultural equipment; cassava project; sweet banana and plantain project; cocoa project; oil palm in the savannah zone; support fund for income-generating activities; market gardening project; storage, packaging and conservation infrastructure; hydro-agricultural infrastructure; agricultural mechanisation support; support for women in agricultural development.
    - Agroforestry programme aims to increase forest cover, develop agroforestry and enhance non-timber forest product production by creating state-owned plantations, intensive fast-growing private plantations, multi-purpose community plantations, and private palm groves.
    - Agroforestry projects include capacity building for ProNAR; PREFOREST (Green Climate Fund); Prorep (CAFI-Central Africa Forest Investment); capacity building of the Centre for the Valorisation of Non-Timber Forest Products (CVPFLN); Pool-Plateaux community agroforestry and wood-energy project; North Congo Forest Landscape Project (PPFNC); nursery creation in five (5) departments; restoration of mangroves and associated coastal forest ecosystems; development of a national framework for sustainable peatland management; and other capacity building and support projects.

  - Specific objective 4 (improve conditions for production): major programme for mechanisation, water management and irrigation.
    - Projects: creation of protected agricultural zones; equipping producers with small production, transport and processing equipment; energy and water project in production basins; creation of micro-farms for young agropreneurs; seed and fertiliser support project; agricultural mechanisation project; transport unit for producers; creation of two (2) large wholesale markets; construction of food quality control laboratories in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire.

  - Specific objective 5 (strengthen resources and skills): institutional, statistical, financing, PPP and coordination improvements.
    - Projects include: strengthening institutional capacities of ministries involved; installation of the permanent integrated system of agricultural statistics (SPISA); national agency for the development of agriculture and livestock (ANDAE); national agency for the development of fishing and aquaculture (ANDPA); revitalisation of the Agricultural Support Fund (FSA) and the Fisheries Development Fund (FAH); implementation of the Commercial Agriculture Development Project (PDAC) with the World Bank and OFID; implementation of PRODIVAC with the ADB; PARSA with the AFD; construction and equipping of aquaculture research laboratory; veterinary diagnosis laboratory in Brazzaville; biotechnology laboratory of the national centre for the fight against crop diseases; creation and operationalisation of the agricultural land register; development of agricultural tracks and processing support; support for women's mutual savings and credit funds; development of agricultural cooperative entrepreneurship; computerised system for verifying legality (SIVL); mapping of mangrove areas; mapping of peat bog areas; capacity building of actors in tortilla area management structures; strengthening sectoral governance and information and monitoring-evaluation systems; establishment of legal, regulatory and institutional framework.

### Pillar 2: Industry development — Issues and strategic goals
- Rationale:
  - Industrial development enables participation in the global value chain (GVC), a major source of wealth and employment creation.

- Current status and constraints:
  - Industrial sector (excluding oil) is very underdeveloped and contributes little to wealth creation.
  - Contribution to GDP by sub-sectors: mining industry (solid mines) contributes 0.71% to GDP, manufacturing industry 10%, forestry industry 6%.
  - Main constraints: (i) lack of energy infrastructure, (ii) lack of skilled labour, (iii) difficulties accessing finance, (iv) low rate of local processing, (v) unattractive business environment.

- Strategic objective: create a dense, dynamic and competitive industrial fabric.

- Specific aims:
  - Strengthen support mechanisms for companies.
  - Encourage all forms of industrialisation.
  - Set up important financial intervention tools around PPPs.
  - Support informal sector transition to the formal sector.
  - Strengthen qualification of human resources.
  - Develop industrial zones, free zones and free points.
  - Improve competitiveness of the exportable offer.
  - Develop and implement local content.

- Programmes to be implemented:
  - Two main programmes: (i) promotion of industrialisation through the development of natural resources, (ii) promotion of industrialisation through the processing of agricultural products in the broad sense.
  - Three support programmes: (i) promotion of industrialisation by ensuring environmental protection in industrial parks, (ii) promotion of industrialisation by strengthening basic infrastructure and exploiting geographical and cultural assets, (iii) capacity building of local SMEs/SMIs.

- Promotion of industrialisation through development of natural resources: objectives include (i) increase production of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons, (ii) enhance the value of hydrocarbons to make best profits through exports and local processing, (iii) improve governance and sustainable management of forest resources.

*Source: 1cogea2023002 - 204.*

### 234. The  implementation  of  this  programme  requires  the  implementation  of  the  following

### 1cogea2023002 - 234. The  implementation  of  this  programme  requires  the  implementation  of  the  following

### Industrialisation: key programmes and required projects
- Programme: industrialisation through processing of natural resources and energy-related projects.
  - Required projects:
    - (i) construction of the second refinery
    - (ii) construction of an LNG extraction unit
    - (iii) construction of strategic and security depots for petroleum products
    - (iv) construction of a urea manufacturing unit
    - (v) construction of the gas-fired power plant
    - (vi) acquisition of geo-scientific infrastructure
    - (vii) support for the structuring of the artisanal mining sector
    - (viii) construction of two production units for iron ingots, copper, gold and zinc through FONDECO
    - (ix) construction and equipping of the Makoua ceramics factory
    - (x) construction and equipping of a cement factory in MAFOUBOU Tao  Tao (Louvakou)
    - (xi) setting up of a computerised verification, legality and traceability system for timber
    - (xii) construction of a geomatic laboratory (CNIAF)
    - (xiii) support for 1st, 2nd and 3rd wood processing units
    - (xiv) support for eucalyptus citriodora essential oil production units
    - (xv) processing of wood residues from 1st, 2nd and 3rd transformations
    - (xvi) development of the strategy and policies of the hydrocarbons sector
    - (xvii) Guarantee and Accompaniment Impulse Fund (FIGA)

- Programme: promote industrialisation through processing of agricultural products (agri-food and agro-industrial) for import substitution.
  - Aims:
    - (i) processing agro-pastoral and fishery products
    - (ii) processing non-timber forest products
    - (iii) processing local and other materials
  - Required projects:
    - (i) construction of the women's house
    - (ii) construction of infrastructure for the slaughter, conservation and processing of pastoral products
    - (iii) acquisition of equipment for the conservation and processing of fishery and aquaculture products (improved units for salting, drying and smoking fish)
    - (iv) construction of rice processing units
    - (v) structuring of the refined edible oil sector
    - (vi) support for the production of paving stones by the SPC
    - (vii) establishment of an Economic Interest Group (EIG) for the exploitation of gypsum in Mfouati in support of the cement sector
    - (viii) support for the COPASOL company (a solar panel manufacturing company based in Oyo)
    - (ix) construction and equipping of a generic drug production plant
    - (x) support for craftsmen to process liana and rattan
    - (xi) construction and equipping of medical oxygen production plants
    - (xii) construction of a biofuel unit based on castor oil production
    - (xiii) construction of a wood industry in the Ouesso SEZ
    - (xiv) construction of a wood industry in the Pointe-Noire SEZ
    - (xv) setting up a medical gases unit at the Brazzaville military hospital

- Programme: promote industrialisation while ensuring environmental protection in industrial parks.
  - Aims: develop value chains based on natural resources and respect for the environment; developing product quality, standards and combating pollution and climate change.
  - Required projects:
    - (i) reinforcement of the legal framework in terms of pollution and nuisances
    - (ii) acquisition of equipment to control the quality of air, water and soil
    - (iii) implementation of a National Plan for the Management of Hazardous Waste
    - (iv) development of mechanisms for sanitary, phytosanitary and environmental monitoring
    - (v) creation of a system of surveillance, control and information concerning the risks of pollution by hydrocarbons and mining activities
    - (vi) promotion of clean technologies and sustainable production methods
    - (vii) setting up incentives for companies carrying out economic activities that respect the environment (eco-responsible activities)
    - (viii) development studies for a "champion project" programme dedicated to this objective and enabling the development of technical and managerial skills for 150 entrepreneurs
    - (ix) construction of a quality control laboratory
    - (x) construction and equipping of an industrial standards control unit
    - (xi) construction and equipping of a food and pharmaceutical products control laboratory
    - (xii) construction and equipping of industrial trade centres
    - (xiii) construction and equipping of vocational and industrial high schools
    - (xiv) setting up of a support fund for industrial development

- Programme: promote industrialisation by strengthening basic infrastructure and exploiting geographical and cultural assets.
  - Objective: strengthen infrastructure (energy, water, transport) and leverage country’s position as transit hub and cultural potential.
  - Required projects:
    - (i) electrification of the Maloukou industrial zone
    - (ii) supply of drinking water to the Maloukou industrial zone
    - (iii) construction of the Sounda hydroelectric plant and associated power lines on a BOT basis
    - (iv) rehabilitation and extension of the Djeno power plant on a BOT basis
    - (v) extension of the Congo Electricity Plant (CEC)
    - (vi) electrification of the districts of the Sangha department from the Liouesso dam
    - (vii) rehabilitation and extension on a BOT basis of the Djoué hydroelectric power plant in Brazzaville
    - (viii) construction of the Ngwambouissi water plant in Pointe-Noire on a BOT basis
    - (ix) widening and reinforcement of the RN2
    - (x) construction of the Yié-Maloukou road
    - (xi) construction of the Ignié-Maloukou road
    - (xii) construction of the Ollombo-Abala road
    - (xiii) asphalting of 25 km of the Boundji-Ewo road
    - (xiv) rehabilitation of the Congo Ocean Railway
    - (xv) acquisition of 50 locomotives
    - (xvi) dredging of the river network
    - (xvii) construction of the Brazzaville-Kinshasa road-rail bridge
    - (xviii) construction of corridor 13 (Ouesso-CAR border)
    - (xix) continuation of work on national road No. 3 Dolisie-Ndendé-Gabon border

- Programme: capacity building for local SMEs/SMIs to increase competitiveness.
  - Aims:
    - (i) strengthen the productivity of local  SMEs/SMIs
    - (ii) contribute to the improvement of the balance of trade
    - (iii) strengthen technical assistance on the procedures for boosting SMEs/SMIs
    - (iv) support local SMEs/SMIs through digital credit software
    - (v) create an investment and development bank to serve small and medium-sized enterprises
    - (vi) develop and implement a strategy for the active participation of local SMEs in SEZs through subcontracting, joint ventures and local content
    - (vii) build vocational and specialised training centres in SEZs
  - Required projects:
    - (i) strengthening of technical assistance on procedures for boosting SMEs/SMIs
    - (ii) support for local SMEs/SMIs through digital credit software
    - (iii) creation of an investment and development bank for small and medium-sized enterprises
    - (iv) development and implementation of a strategy for the active participation of local SMEs/SMIs in SEZs through subcontracting, joint ventures and local content
    - (v) support project for the local private sector
    - (vi) development of the public-private consultation framework

- Programme: governance of industrial development.
  - Required projects:
    - (i) strengthening of the legislative and regulatory framework
    - (ii) restructuring/capacity building of public and private research training institutions
    - (iii) creation of industrialization support agencies

### Special Economic Zones (SEZs): issues, objectives, and projects
- Rationale and opportunities:
  - SEZs increase performance of diversification sectors through value chains
  - SEZs ensure the attractiveness of the country and favour economic revival
  - SEZs help structure local SMEs/SMIs, increase trained workforce and job creation, improve living and housing conditions, and enable technology and know-how transfer

- Existing legal SEZs and sizes:
  - (i) Pointe-Noire: 2,990 hectares
  - (ii) Oyo-Ollombo: 760,318 hectares
  - (iii) Ouesso: 379,639 hectares
  - (iv) Ignié: 223,810 hectares

- Implementation challenges and constraints:
  - Slow operationalisation due to:
    - (i) failure to fully compensate landowners to be expropriated (very low rate of expropriation, 33 ha expropriated out of a total of 1,366,757 ha, i.e. 0.002%)
    - (ii) absence of developers or planners
    - (iii) absence of interested local and foreign entrepreneurs
    - (iv) absence of a qualified local workforce
  - Major development challenges:
    - (i) finding developers for development and servicing
    - (ii) mobilising funds to develop zones, including obtaining a pro-diversification budget from the State
    - (iii) structuring and supporting SMEs/SMIs to become partners or subcontractors for foreign investors
    - (iv) capacity to encourage active youth training policy to ensure qualified personnel
    - (v) development and implementation of effective communication and marketing policy to promote SEZs
    - (vi) availability of qualified manpower when production launches
  - Constraints on local SMEs/SMIs development:
    - (i) poor efficiency of financial support structures
    - (ii) absence of incubators
    - (iii) poor access to bank credit
    - (iv) difficulties in non-bank financing
    - (v) asphyxiating parafiscality
    - (vi) complexity of procedures for business setup
    - (vii) poor local and external promotion of products made in Congo
    - (viii) weak application of the legal framework
    - (ix) difficulties in accessing finance and raw materials
    - (x) low production capacity
    - (xi) marketing difficulties (lack of marketing techniques and unfair competition)
    - (xii) multiplicity of administrative controls
    - (xiii) inadequacy of technical support and skilled labour

- Strategic objective:
  - Operationalise the Special Economic Zones and attract foreign investors.

- Programmes and required projects:
  - SEZ policy and sectoral strategy steering programme (ensure SEZ governance):
    - Aims:
      - (i) strengthening the special legal and institutional framework for SEZs
      - (ii) improving the business climate
      - (iii) linking basic training to SEZ occupations
      - (iv) implementing an effective strategy for mobilising financing required for development work
    - Required projects:
      - (i) strengthening the legal and institutional framework for SEZs and economic diversification
      - (ii) developing the sectoral policy and strategy of the Ministry of SEZs and economic diversification
      - (iii) updating feasibility studies
      - (iv) developing a communication strategy
      - (v) preparation of feasibility studies for the construction of basic infrastructure
      - (vi) training of young people in the trades to be developed in the SEZs
      - (vii) organisation of international forums to attract potential developers
      - (viii) strengthening governance and improving the business climate
  - SEZ viability programme (create attractiveness conditions for developers and investors):
    - Priority actions:
      - (i) continue surveying work
      - (ii) continue land surveys
      - (iii) compensate those expropriated from the SEZs
      - (iv) build basic infrastructure of the SEZs
    - Required projects:
      - (i) development of infrastructure in the SEZs
      - (ii) continuation of land survey work
      - (iii) continuation of compensation for those expropriated from the SEZs
      - (iv) construction of basic infrastructure in the SEZs
      - (v) construction and equipping of one-stop shop buildings in the SEZs
      - (vi) construction and equipping of the headquarters (R+7) housing the management bodies of the SEZs
      - (vii) construction of skills training centres in SEZs

### Tourism development: assets, targets, programmes and projects
- Context and current performance:
  - Congo is rich in biodiversity and multiple tourist sites (examples listed in source).
  - Over the last five years, tourism growth has remained low and its contribution to GDP has never reached 5%.

- Strategic objective:
  - Improve and diversify the tourism offer and increase tourism’s contribution to GDP to 10% over the next five years.

- Specific goals:
  - (i) diversify and expand the tourism offer
  - (ii) put in place all infrastructure to support tourism activities
  - (iii) build the infrastructure for the tourism and leisure offer
  - (iv) make existing tourist sites viable
  - (v) steer the development of tourism

- Programmes:
  - (i) construction and development of access roads to tourist sites
  - (ii) construction and equipment of tourist and leisure facilities
  - (iii) development of tourist sites
  - (iv) management of tourism development

- Programme: construction and development of access roads to tourist sites (develop access infrastructure and install telecommunications, electricity and water).
  - Required projects (selection; full list in source):
    - (i) development of the access road to the Loufoulakari Falls (Pool)
    - (ii) development of the access road to the Lac Bleu site in the Louvakou district in the Niari department
    - (iii) development of the access road to the Bay of Loango
    - (iv) development of the access road to the Djoué cataracts site in Brazzaville
    - (v) development of the access road to the Mount Mfouari wildlife reserve in Nyanga in the Niari department
    - (vi) construction of telecommunication and energy infrastructure for the falls
    - (vii) construction of a water supply and sewerage system for the communication and energy infrastructure for the Loufoulakari waterfalls (Pool)
    - (vii) construction of telecommunication, communication and energy infrastructure in the Louvakou district (Niari)
    - (viii) installation of telecommunication, communication and energy infrastructure at the Bay of Loango
    - (ix) installation of telecommunication, communication and energy infrastructure at the Djoué cataract site in Brazzaville
    - (x) installation of telecommunication, communication and energy infrastructures at the Mount Mfouari wildlife reserve in Nyanga in the Niari department
    - (xi) development of the coastal access road (côte sauvage in Pointe-Noire, 100 pas du roi)
    - (xii) development of the access road to Lake Nanga (Loufouleba) in Pointe-Noire
    - (xiii) development of the access road to Lac télé in Likouala
    - (xiv) development of the access road to the Sossi site in Louvakou, in the department of Niari
    - (xv) development of the access road to the Lac bleu site (Lésio-Louna)
    - (xvi) development of the access road to the Lac télé community reserve in Likouala
    - (xvii) development of the access road to the Conkouati-Douli national park, in the department of Kouilou
    - (xviii) development of the access road to the Odzala-Kokoua national park in the departments of Sangha and Cuvette-Ouest
    - (xix) development of the access road to the Nouabalé-Ndoki national park in the department of Sangha
    - (xx) development of the access road to the district of Divénié in the department of Niari (Dimani falls)
    - (xxi) development of the access road to Inoni-Mbé
    - (xxii) development of the access road from Diosso to the headquarters of Bouali
    - (xxii) development of the access road to the Tchimpounga nature reserve in the Kouilou department
    - (xxiii) development of the access road to the Moukouili waterfalls in Divénié in the department of Niari
    - (xxiv) installation of telecommunication, communication and energy infrastructures on the coast (côte sauvage in Pointe-Noire, 100 pas du roi)
    - (xxv) installation of telecommunication, communication and energy infrastructures at Lake Nanga (Loufouleba in Pointe-Noire)
    - (xxvi) installation of telecommunication, communication and energy infrastructures at Lake Télé in Likouala
    - (xxvii) installation of telecommunication, communication and energy infrastructures at the Lac Bleu site (Lésio-Louna)
    - (xxviii) installation of telecommunication, communication and energy infrastructures at the Lac Télé community reserve in Likouala
    - (xxix) installation of telecommunication, communication and energy infrastructures at the Conkouati-Douli national park in the department of Kouilou
    - (xxx) installation of telecommunication, communication and energy infrastructures at the Odzala-Kokoua national park in the departments of Sangha and Cuvette-Ouest
    - (xxxi) installation of telecommunication, communication and energy infrastructures at the Nouabalé-Ndoki national park in the department of Sangha
    - (xxxii) installation of telecommunication, communication and energy infrastructures in the district of Divénié, department of Niari (Dimani falls)
    - (xxxiii) installation of telecommunication, communication and energy infrastructures at the Tchimpounga nature reserve in the department of Kouilou
    - (xxxiv) installation of telecommunication, communication and energy infrastructures at the Moukouili falls in Divénié in the department of Niari
    - (xxxv) setting up a tourism, hotel and leisure information system (SITHL)

_Italic: Source — 1cogea2023002 - 234 (PDF content provided)._

### 263. For   the   construction   and   equipment   of   tourism   and   leisure   infrastructures

### 1cogea2023002 - 263. For   the   construction   and   equipment   of   tourism   and   leisure   infrastructures

### Tourism and leisure infrastructures programme: objectives and projects
- Objective: (i) build and rehabilitate tourism infrastructures and (ii) strengthen support infrastructures and services for tourism.
- Projects to be implemented:
  - (i) creation of a zoo-botanical park on the outskirts of Brazzaville called Louna Parc
  - (ii) creation of a zoological and botanical park in Mbouambé-Léfini
  - (iii) erection of a stele in memory of King MAKOKO (ILOO I) at MBE
  - (iv) erection of a stele in memory of King MOE-POATY at Bouali (Diosso)
  - (v) creation and management of a protected area in the Messok-Dja forest massif
  - (vi) creation of an exhibition park for products made in Congo
  - (vii) rehabilitation of the Grand Hôtel de Dolisie (GHD)
  - (ii) rehabilitation of the reading and cultural activity centres (CLAC)
  - (viii) rehabilitation of the Brazzaville zoological and botanical park
  - (ix) construction of two (2) amusement parks in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire
  - (x) construction of two water parks: one (1) in Brazzaville and one (1) in Pointe-Noire
  - (xi) creation of leisure centres in public places in the Republic of Congo
  - (xii) putting into operation health centres around tourist sites
  - (xiii) construction of large shopping centres in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire
  - (xiv) construction of two large theatres in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire
  - (xv) securing tourist structures (tourist sites, hotels and restaurants)
  - (xvi) support for the development of transport services

### Programme to develop tourist sites: objectives and projects
- Objective: (i) developing tourist structures and (ii) building and developing structures in the reserves.
- Projects to be implemented:
  - (i) inventory of tourist sites and intangible cultural heritage
  - (ii) development of tourist structures at the Loufoulakari Falls in the Pool department
  - (iii) development of the Blue Lake site in the Louvakou district, in the Niari department
  - (iv) tourist development of the coastline (Côte Sauvage in Pointe-Noire, 100 pas du Roi)
  - (v) tourist development of Lake Nanga (Loufouleba) in Pointe-Noire
  - (vi) development of tourist structures in the Loango Bay
  - (vii) development of the Sossi gite in Louvakou, in the Niari department
  - (viii) construction of tourist structures in the Djoué cataracts site in Brazzaville
  - (ix) construction of tourist structures in the Mbamou and Faignond islands
  - (x) construction of tourist structures in the Mount Mfouari wildlife reserve in Nyanga in the Department of Niari
  - (xi) construction of tourist structures in the Ntokou (Cuvette)-Pikounda (Sangha) park
  - (xii) construction of tourist structures in the Lac Bleu site (Lesio-Louna)
  - (xiii) construction of tourist structures in the Lac Télé community reserve in Likouala
  - (xiv) development of tourist structures in the Conkouati-Douli national park in the Department of Kouilou
  - (xv) development of tourist structures in the Odzala-Kokoua national park in the Departments of Sangha and Cuvette-Ouest
  - (xvi) development of tourist structures in the Nouabalé-Ndoki national park in the department of Sangha
  - (xv) development of the Dimani Falls tourist site in the district of Divénié in the department of Niari (Dimani Falls)
  - (xvi) development of tourist structures in the Tchimpounga nature reserve in the department of Kouilou
  - (xvii) development of the Moukouili Falls tourist site in Divénié in the department of Niari

### Tourism Development Steering Programme: governance, capacity building and promotion
- Objective: improve the governance of the tourism and leisure sector through (i) reform of the legal framework of the tourism and leisure sector; (ii) increase human resources in the tourism and leisure professions; and (iii) promote tourism.
- Projects to be implemented:
  - (i) development and implementation of mechanisms for mitigating human-wildlife conflict in the Republic of Congo
  - (ii) development of the law on the leisure development fund
  - (iii) updating of the texts creating the Higher Council for Tourism (CST)
  - (iv) development of the law reorganising the tourism development fund
  - (v) development of the application texts (statutes) of the office for the promotion of the tourism industry
  - (vi) elaboration of the application texts of the SOCITOUR law
  - (vii) elaboration of the application texts of the law establishing the one-stop shop for tourism (GUT)
  - (viii) elaboration of the application texts regulating the tourism sector
  - (ix) elaboration of the law regulating the leisure sector and the application texts
  - (x) construction and equipment of the Higher Institute of Environment and Tourism in Impfondo in Likouala
  - (xi) creation of a national school of tourism and hotel management
  - (xii) creation of the tourism training institute in Pointe-Noire
  - (xiii) development of a training policy for tourism professions
  - (v) development of training programmes by integrating new communication technologies
  - (xiv) support for the ongoing training of staff in tourist accommodation establishments
  - (xv) support for the training of agents of the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure
  - (xvi) training and socio-professional integration of women and young girls in sustainable trades
  - (xvii) training and reintegration of young people in tourism trades
  - (xviii) training and equipping of eco-guards and anti-poaching surveillance units (protected areas, USLAB and PROGEPP)
  - (xix) implementation of the office for the promotion of the tourist industry in the department of Brazzaville
  - (xx) implementation of the office for the promotion of the tourist industry in the department of Pointe-Noire
  - (xxi) implementation of the one-stop shop for tourism in Brazzaville
  - (xxii) implementation of tourist information offices (BIT) for the European zones (Paris)
  - (xxiii) implementation of tourist information offices (BIT) for the American zones
  - (xxii) organisation of Eductours
  - (xxiii) setting up of dynamic screens in the major cities and public places with a strong influence (Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire)
  - (xxiv) creation of a paper and digital magazine called : la lettre touristique du Congo
  - (xxv) mapping of tourist areas in the Congo
  - (xxvi) introduction of the tourist visa
  - (xxvii) Brazzaville international tourism fair
  - (xxviii) reform and drafting of application texts on the tourism development fund
  - (xxix) editing and production of tourism and leisure promotion media (lettre touristique du Congo magazine)

### Pillar 5: Development of the digital economy — key issues and challenges
- Strategic role: digital transformation is a strategic lever in the economic diversification process and is central to the Head of State's social project "Together, let's continue the march".
- Expected benefits: (i) facilitate the processing and circulation of information, (ii) create jobs and wealth, (iii) have a positive impact on other sectors of activity, (iv) develop e-business, (v) develop e-gouv, (vi) develop the e-citizen, (vii) improve the quality of public service, (viii) increase transparency at all levels, (ix) increase the performance of companies and (x) facilitate monitoring and control.
- Existing legal framework:
  - Law No. 26-2020 of 5 June 2020 on cybersecurity
  - Law No. 29-2019 of 10 October 2019 on the protection of personal data
  - Law No. 27-2020 of 5 June 2020 on combating cybercrime
- Ongoing projects:
  - (i) finalisation of the first two phases of the National Coverage Project (PCN)
  - (ii) launch of the third National Coverage Project phase
  - (iii) launch of fibre optic connection work between Congo and Central African Republic
  - (iv) finalisation of fibre optic interconnection work between Congo and Cameroon
- Key ICT indicators (exact figures):
  - mobile broadband subscription rate (per 100 inhabitants) is only 6.0% (in 2020)
  - internet penetration among the population: 9.7% (in 2020)
  - proportion of people with a mobile phone: 104.7% (in 2020)
- Additional ongoing digital infrastructure and services projects:
  - (i) delegation of the management of fibre optic services of the Electric Energy of Congo (E²C) network
  - (ii) operationalisation of the ARPCE (Post and Electronic Communications Regulatory Authority) data centre
  - (iii) construction of the data centre of the ministry in charge of finance
  - (iv) construction of the Government data centre
  - (v) dematerialisation of tax payments
  - (vi) establishment of the dematerialised platform for information on the Covid-19
  - (vii) operationalisation of the digital hub and the digital stamp
  - (viii) democratisation of e-banking and mobile money
  - (ix) establishment of the mobile post office
  - (x) fibre optic interconnection between the Congo and the DRC
  - (xi) operationalisation of the fibre optic interconnection between the Congo and Gabon
- Challenges over the next five years:
  - (i) extending the fibre optic network throughout the country
  - (ii) providing the country with telecommunications, mobile telephone, energy and communication infrastructure
  - (iii) providing the country with storage capacity (data centre)
  - (iv) improving the digital environment for start-ups
  - (v) digitalisation of procedures for creating companies
  - (vi) development of e-business, e-gouv and e-citizens
  - (vii) establishment of a framework to reduce the cost of access to electronic communications
  - (viii) strengthening of digital courses in schools and universities

### Pillar 5: Strategic and specific goals; programmes and projects
- Strategic objective: digitalise the economic fabric in all its components.
- Specific actions: (i) continuing the implementation of the regulatory and institutional environment, (ii) developing digital infrastructures, (iii) developing platforms and digital entrepreneurship, (iv) developing skills, research and industrial production linked to the digital economy, (v) steering the development policy of the digital economy, (vi) developing financial services and (vii) reducing the digital divide.
- Government programmes:
  - (i) development of digital infrastructure
  - (ii) development of digital platforms and entrepreneurship
  - (iii) development of skills, research and industrial production related to the digital economy
  - (iv) reduction of the digital divide
  - (v) steering the policy for the development of the digital economy
- Development of digital infrastructure: projects
  - (i) national coverage in optical fibre
  - (ii) networking of the country in telecommunication infrastructures
  - (iii) networking of the country in mobile telephone infrastructures
  - (iv) networking of the country in storage infrastructures ("Data centre")
  - (v) finalisation of the securing of telecommunication, communication, mobile telephone and "Data centre" infrastructures
  - (vi) networking of the country in energy infrastructures
- Development of digital platforms and entrepreneurship: projects
  - (i) strengthening of digital confidence mechanisms
  - (ii) development of e-business
  - (iii) development of e-gouv
  - (iv) development of the e-citizen
  - (v) development of a strategy to raise awareness of digital platforms among the population
  - (vi) transition from analogue to digital production/broadcasting centres (Radio, TVC and Télédiffusion du Congo)
  - (vii) securing digital platforms (information systems)
  - (viii) putting in place instruments to improve the digital environment for start-ups
  - (ix) digitalising the formalities for creating businesses
  - (x) digital production of directories
- Development of digital skills, research and industrial production: objectives
  - (i) develop research and innovation linked to digital technology
  - (ii) promote industrial production in digital technology
  - (iii) develop digital curricula and intensify initial and continuous training
  - (iv) introduce digital technology modules into the curricula of training schools for trainers
  - (v) provide training in digital technology
  - (vi) develop incubators at national level
  - (vii) strengthen human resource capacities in digital technology
- Projects for digital skills and research:
  - (i) development of digital research and innovation
  - (ii) promotion of industrial production in the digital sector
  - (iii) development of digital curricula
  - (iv) introduction of digital modules in the curricula of teacher training colleges
  - (v) digital training
  - (vi) development of national incubators
  - (vii) strengthening of human resource capacities in the digital sector
- Programme to reduce the digital divide: projects
  - (i) equipping public administrations with digital terminals
  - (ii) developing digital financial services
  - (iii) supporting the fund for universal access and service of electronic communications
  - (iv) setting up digital community centres
- Steering the digital economy development policy: projects
  - (i) creation of the national observatory of the digital economy
  - (ii) finalisation of the legal framework favourable to the development of the digital ecosystem
  - (iii) creation of bodies for securing information systems
  - (iv) updating of the national strategy for the development of the digital economy
  - (v) reforms on the rationalisation of the organisation of the public administration
  - (vi) strengthening of the legislative, regulatory and institutional framework

### Pillar 6: Property development — issues, constraints and objectives
- Strategic role: real estate development is one of the pillars of the development strategy for the five-year period 2022-2026 and contributes to diversification of the Congolese economy.
- Observed demand and deficit:
  - deficit in real estate production, particularly in housing, estimated at around 15,000 units per year
- Advantages of the real estate sector:
  - (i) availability of certain construction materials
  - (ii) existence of an updated legislative framework (urban planning and construction code)
  - (iii) existence of master plans for the cities of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire
  - (iv) existence of a legal system for public-private property development
  - (v) strong demand for decent housing induced by sustained demographic growth
- Main constraints:
  - (i) non-existence of master plans for urban development in the country's towns outside Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire
  - (ii) absence of a framework for construction prices
  - (iii) low production capacity for local construction materials, apart from cement
  - (iv) low capacity of banks to grant property loans
  - (v) insufficient land reserves, particularly in the main cities, requiring recourse to expropriation and compensation for public utility
  - (vi) preponderance of the informal sector (more than 8% of buildings are produced by handymen)
- Pillar objectives:
  - (i) strengthening the institutional, legal and organisational framework of the real estate sector
  - (ii) increasing the supply of decent housing at lower costs
  - (iii) increasing the supply of real estate for economic activities
- Government programmes:
  - (i) development of real estate infrastructure
  - (ii) promotion of housing and decent housing
  - (iii) governance of real estate development
- Real estate development governance: projects
  - (i) elaboration of the sectoral policy of the Ministry in charge of construction, urbanism and housing
  - (ii) elaboration of the national housing strategy
  - (iii) elaboration and/or updating of the master plans of cities and local urbanism plans
  - (iv) development of a framework for construction price lists
  - (v) structuring of the building and public works trades through chambers of trade
  - (vi) popularisation of the town planning and construction code
  - (vii) support for initial and ongoing training in the property trades

*Source: 1cogea2023002 - 263. For   the   construction   and   equipment   of   tourism   and   leisure   infrastructures*

### 294. For the programme to promote housing and decent housing, which aims  to increase

### 1cogea2023002 - 294. For the programme to promote housing and decent housing, which aims  to increase

### Programme to promote housing and decent housing — objectives and projects
- Objective: increase the supply of real estate in the form of housing accessible to the greatest number of people by (i) facilitating access to secure land, (ii) facilitating access to real estate financing, (iii) building decent housing and (iv) facilitating access to decent housing for as many people as possible at a lower cost.
- Implementation projects (listed verbatim):
  - (i) the construction and completion of housing in Diosso,
  - (ii) the construction of buildings (housing) in Pointe-Noire (Camp IGET),
  - (iii) the construction of an SS+R+6 building by the property development company (SOPRIM) at the Lumumba roundabout in Pointe-Noire;
  - (iv) construction and completion of housing in Owando (Linengue 1 and 2), construction of housing in Camp-Clairon,
  - (v) construction of housing with the ADH group and
  - (vi) construction of housing with BADEA (Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa) financing,
  - (vii) MAMBO social housing and Barnier case;
  - (viii) construction and equipment of two units of second and third industrial transformation of wood in the ZES and the industrial parks,
  - (ix) completion of the tails of accelerated municipalizations in the departments,
  - (x) restructuring of the precarious districts (Project DURQUAP),
  - (xi) construction of the departmental directions of the ministry in charge of the construction
  - (xii) rehabilitation and equipment of departmental directorates of the ministry in charge of construction,
  - (xiii) construction and equipment of schools and academies,
  - (xiv) creation of a National Housing Fund,
  - (xv) project to improve supply and access to housing credit, and
  - (xvi) launch of the national housing company.

### Real Estate Infrastructure Development Programme — objectives and projects
- Objective: increase and modernise real estate infrastructure by building and rehabilitating administrative, public and economic infrastructure.
- Implementation projects (listed verbatim):
  - (i) construction of the departmental directorates of the Ministry in charge of construction;
  - (ii) rehabilitation and equipment of the departmental directorates of the Ministry in charge of construction;
  - (iii) construction of the headquarters (R+4) housing the management bodies of the SEZs and the free trade zones;
  - (iv) restructuring of precarious neighbourhoods (DURQUAP project);
  - (v) construction of the International Business City in Brazzaville and consulting engineer (Cité Gouvernementale);
  - (vi) construction of a commercial centre in Mpila (twin towers) and consulting engineer;
  - (vii) construction of buildings at the Moukondo SS+R+4 roundabout;
  - (viii) construction of an R+4 building at Patte d'Oie; and
  - (ix) construction and equipping of two units of secondary and tertiary industrial wood processing in the SEZs and industrial parks.

### Enabling conditions and main required measures for NDP implementation
- The effective implementation of the NDP requires strong measures in the following areas:
  - (i) peace, security and political stability,
  - (ii) governance,
  - (iii) support for and development of the private sector, and
  - (iv) reconciliation between the objectives of economic growth and environmental protection.

### Peace, security and political stability — envisaged actions
- Government intends to continue and strengthen actions to consolidate peace, security and political stability in the framework of the implementation of the NDP 2022-2026.
- Actions envisaged (listed verbatim as in source):
  - strengthening the rule of law, stability and democracy;
  - Strengthening social cohesion and peace by continuing efforts to clear salary and pension arrears, and by maintaining dialogue with the social partners.
  - Strengthening the role of the public force in the defence of territorial integrity and the security of people and property
  - Eradicating the infringement of the free movement of people and goods.
  - The intensification of the fight against crime in all its forms
  - The perpetuation of the permanent political dialogue;
  - The implementation of the consensual recommendations of the various political dialogues.

### Good governance — planned reforms and measures
- Improvement of governance over the next five years will consist of the following actions (verbatim):
  - Revising the legal framework for combating fraud and stepping up the implementation of legal and judicial reforms while ensuring their proper application.
  - Computerise all public administrations.
  - Continue and finalise, in particular, the development of the computerisation of financial registers;
  - Complete the process of switching the State budget to programme mode;
  - Rationalise the functioning of the State and improve its productivity;
  - Fight with determination and efficiency against corruption, misappropriation of public funds and all other economic and financial crimes and offences, as well as against impunity;
  - Carry out regular controls and audits of the management of public administrations and bodies.
  - Institute the obligation to account for acts of management of public affairs;
  - Finalise the development of a single computerised file of the Directorate of Pay and the Directorate General of the Civil Service;
  - Modernise the management of land and the state domain;
  - Strengthen the decentralisation process;
  - Transfer competences and resources to local authorities in accordance with the laws on decentralisation;
  - Draw up local development plans and modalities for transposing the NDP 2022-2026 in the departments;
  - Establish and maintain political and social dialogue, as well as transparency and trust between political leaders and the population.

### Support and development of the private sector — strategy and actions
- Rationale: success of the NDP depends in part on involvement of the private sector in activities related to the six strategic pillars; measures are needed to attract national and international private investors and encourage existing businesses.
- Two broad categories of measures:
  - (i) improving the business environment, and
  - (ii) supporting businesses.

#### Improving the business environment — specific actions
- Guarantee legal security for all companies by making the legal framework for business legible, attractive and stable and by ensuring the impartiality, intelligibility, celerity and respect of legal decisions.
- Adapt taxation and parafiscality to the requirements of accelerated development, based on the creation of more jobs and wealth. Actions include (verbatim):
  - (i) setting a tax ceiling for each category of business,
  - (ii) modifying the tax base (abolishing taxes on production tools and investment),
  - (iii) not taxing profits reinvested in the priority sectors of the NDP,
  - (iv) reducing the number of parafiscal taxes,
  - (v) lowering the rate of levy on salaries for new jobs created in the priority sectors of the NDP, and
  - (vi) resolving the constraints linked to VAT credits.
- Update the conditions for granting tax and customs benefits, including revision of the regulation on the investment charter with specific updates:
  - (i) updating the terms and conditions of eligibility for tax and customs benefits,
  - (ii) the choice of sectors benefiting from the benefits granted,
  - (iii) the nature of the products to be exempted from customs duties,
  - (iv) the modulation of the tax abatement rate;
- Lighten and simplify fiscal, social and administrative control procedures by inventorying controls and then:
  - (i) eliminating illegal fees created by certain public administrations,
  - (ii) reducing the number of controls by eliminating those that are abusive and superfluous,
  - (iii) strengthening the dialogue mechanism in the control procedures.
- Ensure better insolvency resolution and contract enforcement via:
  - (i) strengthening the capacities of magistrates and other legal practitioners for a more effective application of OHADA uniform acts,
  - (ii) reducing the time taken for legal proceedings,
  - (iii) enhancing the role of the Mediation and Arbitration Centre of Congo (CEMACO) and
  - (iv) activating all the tools that promote the protection of the investor;
- Eliminate bottlenecks in transactions through:
  - (i) set up a National Trade Facilitation Committee;
  - (ii) improve the determinants of cross-border trade,
  - (iii) reduce transit costs,
  - (vi) eliminate unjustified controls,
  - (v) optimise the logistics chain.
- Ensure the availability of financial information with actions:
  - (i) optimising the information system for investors,
  - (ii) consolidating the database on projects,
  - (iii) centralising the balance sheets of Congolese companies,
  - (vi) creating a credit bureau,
  - (v) strengthening the resources of the national centre for economic information and management advice (CNIECG).

#### Business support — structure and measures
- Structured around three main measures: (i) densification, (ii) financial support and (iii) dialogue.
- Densification of the private sector — main actions:
  - (i) strengthening support for business creation,
  - (ii) simplifying creation procedures,
  - (iii) developing youth and female entrepreneurship,
  - (iv) enhancing the value of the various trades linked to the development of the pillars of the NDP,
  - (v) gradually transforming informal sector entities into formal businesses,
  - (vi) eliminating market distortions (monopolies, barriers to entry, etc.);
- Permanent dialogue with private sector organisations — actions:
  - (i) the revitalisation of consultation platforms (sectoral and general) between the private sector and the public authorities,
  - (ii) the setting up of public/private technical commissions on certain aspects of business life (domestic debt, parafiscality, VAT credits, business controls, hiring, labour control, local content, etc.) and,
  - (iii) the multiplication of exchanges with the private sector before and during the drafting of the finance law
- Financial support to the private sector — actions (verbatim):
  - (i) the mobilisation of financial aid for business creation, especially in the sectors covered by the strategic pillars of the NDP,
  - (ii) the creation of a structure designed to carry out shareholding,
  - (iii) the use of innovative financing methods,
  - (iv) the appropriate positioning of the Impulse Fund,
  - (iv) the appropriate positioning of the Impulse, Guarantee and Accompaniment Fund (FIGA), taking into account the orientations of the NDP,
  - (v) the acceleration of the payment of domestic commercial debt, and
  - (vi) the operationalisation of the offer of savings products adapted to the informal sector and the mobilisation of savings for long term loans, and
  - (vii) the promotion of access to financial markets.

### Economic growth and environmental protection — commitments and actions
- Environment protection and improvement of the population's living environment are major public policy priorities.
- Government committed to an ambitious environmental protection policy and will continue during the implementation of the NDP by using instruments such as the "Congo Basin Blue Fund" to both preserve the environment, particularly the forests, and guarantee economic development.
- Actions to be carried out (verbatim):
  - (i) the continuation of efforts undertaken since 2006 to lay the foundations of a green economy within the framework of the national REDD+ strategy,
  - (ii) the fulfilment of commitments made by the Congo in the field of the environment at the international level,
  - (iii) the promotion of agriculture and livestock breeding compatible with environmental protection,
  - (iv) the use of natural fertilisers, a source of growth and employment.
- Footnote: On 9 March 2017 in Oyo (Cuvette department), twelve countries of the Central African and Great Lakes sub-region signed the agreement establishing the Blue Fund for the Congo Basin.

### Social impacts and human capital — overview
- Expected social impacts of the NDP will appear through direct and indirect effects on social life, particularly on human capital and the development of basic infrastructure.
- NDP aims to present how the strategic pillars will help achieve most of the SDGs and reflects the government's commitment to integrate the SDGs into national policies.

### Human capital — education (actions by sub-sector)
- General: NDP provides opportunity for massive investment in raising the quality of human capital to align workforce with development needs.
- Basic education (verbatim actions):
  - (i) increase investment in basic education through the construction of modern school infrastructures and their provision with equally modern equipment,
  - (ii) enable the majority of the population to acquire basic knowledge,
  - (iii) reduce inequalities in access to education services through appropriate measures.
- Technical and vocational education and training (verbatim actions):
  - (i) investment in the training of specific and increasingly qualified human capital to respond to the urgent need for competitiveness that industrialization implies in the context of a globalized economy and continental African free trade (ZLECAF),
  - (ii) the strengthening of training courses
  - (iii) aligning curricula with the needs of agriculture, industry, tourism, the digital economy and real estate, which are the focus of skills needs under the 2022-2026 NDP.
- Higher education and scientific research (verbatim actions):
  - (i) increase the supply of higher education and improve its quality,
  - (ii) improve access to higher education,
  - (iii) link research to development needs, and
  - (iv) devote a significant share of budgetary resources to research and development activities.

### Human capital — health (constraints, targets and actions)
- Constraints in the health sector include (verbatim):
  - (i) the low availability of medical equipment and drugs,
  - (ii) the lack of qualified and motivated health workers.
- Access-related obstacles (verbatim):
  - (i) the high cost of health care in relation to household income,
  - (ii) insufficient public resources devoted to the health system to make it accessible to all at the lowest cost, and
  - (iii) the high risk of catastrophic health expenditure.
- Budgetary target: In the short term, the budgetary allocation for health should reach the levels recommended by the Abuja Declaration and in the long term those of the WHO.
- Expected outcome: implementation of the NDP will enable the State to allocate more resources to the health sector, improve households' purchasing power to access quality health care, reduce catastrophic health expenditure and ultimately the health burden of the poor, contributing to poverty reduction and health equity.
- Health actions under the National Health Policy (verbatim):
  - improving the quality of health services, focusing on:
    - (i) the provision of health centers with appropriate equipment, medicines and human resources in order to improve the resilience of the health system to epidemics and health emergencies,
    - (ii) the decentralization of medical analysis centers to enable mass screening and rapid treatment of patients and
    - (iii) the optimization of health system governance.
  - Eradicating malnutrition and combating child mortality through:
    - (i) improving and structuring local prevention capacities (access to long-lasting insecticide-treated nets, latrine construction, basic hygiene, etc.) and management of the diseases that cause the greatest number of child deaths and
    - (ii) the periodic conduct of surveys on mortality and the prevalence of child diseases for better decision-making.
  - Continuation and expansion of projects in favour of mother and child health, including modernisation, construction and equipment of health structures and recruitment and training of health personnel funded by implementation of the NDP.

*Source: 1cogea2023002 - 294. For the programme to promote housing and decent housing, which aims  to increase — PDF chapter/section*

### 320. The  overall  impacts  of  NDP in  the  health  sector  could contribute  to  accelerate  the

### 1cogea2023002 - 320. The  overall  impacts  of  NDP in  the  health  sector  could contribute  to  accelerate  the

### Social protection
- Challenge: provision of a social benefit floor to reduce household and individual vulnerability and ensure dignity (para 321).
- NDP implementation and formal job creation:
  - Expected to expand national coverage in social protection by bringing workers from informal to formal sector through expansion of economic activity (para 322).
  - Formal wage employment and transition from informal to formal sector likely to bring many people into social protection guaranteed by work (para 322).
- Wealth creation and financing space:
  - Economic diversification under NDP should increase room for manoeuvre to finance new social protection schemes, pension funds and health insurance, strengthening inclusion of poor, vulnerable people and informal workers (para 323).
- Specific uses of NDP-generated resources to expand social protection coverage (para 324):
  - (i) operationalise universal health insurance (UHI) and other new social security schemes;
  - (ii) strengthen social action within the non-contributory component by increasing financial and operational capacities of social demand management structures (social action districts, structures for people living with disabilities, structures for vulnerable children, etc.).

### Strengthening basic infrastructure — overview
- Basic infrastructure (water, electricity, sanitation, roads, telecommunications) identified as determinant of development and private sector competitiveness (para 325).
- Congo suffers from a deficit in basic infrastructure despite government efforts; NDP (structural transformation) aims to equip country with quality basic infrastructure to sustain growth and diversification (para 326).
- Wealth created by NDP expected to be partly invested in basic services and infrastructures, forming part of the social dividend (para 326).

### Water, electricity and sanitation
- Constraints in provision and access to water and electricity affecting welfare and economic activity to be addressed by NDP, focusing on financing for improved sanitation and hygiene, better access to health professionals, and advice to reduce environmental pollution (para 327).
- Projects included in NDP to strengthen supply of electricity and drinking water (para 328):
  - drinking water supply to the Maloukou industrial zone;
  - construction of the Sounda hydroelectric power station and associated power lines on a BOT basis;
  - rehabilitation and extension of the Djeno power station on a BOT basis;
  - extension of the Congo electric power station (CEC);
  - electrification of the districts of the Sangha department from the Liouesso dam;
  - rehabilitation and extension on a BOT basis of the Djoué hydroelectric plant in Brazzaville;
  - construction on a BOT basis of the Ngwambouissi water plant in Pointe-Noire.
- Off-grid solutions planned to ensure broad access to electricity, including support for COPASOL (solar panel manufacturing company in Oyo) to facilitate electrification of localities off the national grid using solar energy (para 328).
- NDP 2022-2026 offers possibility of achieving MDGs 6 and 7 goals on access to drinking water and electricity for all; improved water and electricity expected to create new jobs, particularly via proliferation of informal sector activities (para 329).

### Roads
- NDP strategic orientations open prospects for road infrastructure development (para 330).
- Selected road projects (para 331):
  - widening and reinforcement of the RN2;
  - construction of the Yié-Maloukou road;
  - construction of the Ignié-Maloukou road;
  - construction of the Ollombo-Abala road;
  - asphalting of 25 km of the Boundji-Ewo road;
  - construction of the Brazzaville-Kinshasa road-rail bridge;
  - construction of Corridor 13 (Ouesso-CAR border);
  - continuation of work on National Road No. 3 Dolisie-Ndendé-Gabon border.
- Expected road project outcomes: (i) improved mobility of people and goods including agricultural products; (ii) facilitated access to health and education centres; (iii) strengthened economic exchanges with sub-regional countries (para 331).

### Strategic framework and expected social dividend
- NDP 2022-2026 described as strategic framework whose implementation should provide an undeniable social dividend contributing to the fight against poverty, inequality and exclusion (para 332).

### Economic forecasts: models and scenarios
- Models used: PREMA-CONGO (macroeconomic aggregates) and MBF-Central (budgetary revenue and expenditure) (para 333).
- Two scenarios: reference scenario and optimistic scenario (NDP). For each scenario, assumptions, growth profile and evolution of resources from 2022 to 2026 are presented (para 334).

### Key macroeconomic assumptions (para 334)
- Oil production projections:
  - 110.1 million barrels in 2022;
  - 111.7 million barrels in 2023;
  - 124.6 million barrels in 2024;
  - 121.6 million barrels in 2025;
  - 113.0 million barrels in 2026.
- Price of oil per barrel (Congolese price):
  - $65.0 per barrel in 2022;
  - $63.0 per barrel in 2023;
  - $60.0 per barrel in 2024;
  - $58.0 per barrel in 2025;
  - $56.0 per barrel in 2026.
- Exchange rate: 1 dollar for 530 FCFA over the entire period.
- Other general assumptions:
  - Mitigation of the health crisis with continuation of vaccination campaigns against Covid-19;
  - Implementation of the medium-term programme supported by the IMF's Extended Credit Facility (ECF);
  - Continued implementation of the (ECONOMIC and MONETARY COMMUNITY of CENTRAL AFRICA)EMCCA economic and financial reform programme (EFRP-EMCCA);
  - Increased capital expenditure in 2025 and 2026 following implementation of the EFC programme supported by the IMF;
  - Implementation of a strategy to attract domestic and foreign private investment (para 334).

### Sectoral hypotheses
- Based on achieving the overall objective of NDP: create a strong, diversified and resilient economy; NDP implementation should boost non-oil sector dynamics resulting from performance of branches in strategic pillars (para 335).

### Growth and investment rates — overall growth (para 336 and Table 7)
- NDP scenario: average growth rate of 4.6% over 2022-2026.
- Real GDP growth (NDP scenario): 2.5 in 2022; 3.2 in 2023; 8.4 in 2024; 4.8 in 2025; 4.0 in 2026; 2015-2019: -4.5; 2022-2026: 4.6.
- GDP oil (NDP): 0.8 in 2022; 1.5 in 2023; 11.5 in 2024; -2.4 in 2025; -7.1 in 2026; 2015-2019: 1.6; 2022-2026: 0.9.
- GDP excluding oil (NDP): 3.5 in 2022; 4.5 in 2023; 6.4 in 2024; 9.7 in 2025; 10.7 in 2026; 2015-2019: -7.4; 2022-2026: 7.0.
- Reference scenario (selected): Global GDP 2.5 in 2022; 2.8 in 2023; 7.0 in 2024; 1.7 in 2025; 0.5 in 2026; 2015-2019: -4.5; 2022-2026: 2.9.
- Note: Real GDP peaks in 2024 in line with oil production; real GDP excluding oil evolves at sustained and continuous rate higher than reference scenario, from 3.5% in 2022 to 10.7% in 2026, average annual 7.0% (para 337).

### Investment rates (Table 8, NDP vs Reference)
- NDP scenario — Investment rates (in %):
  - Public: 3.5 in 2022; 3.9 in 2023; 4.1 in 2024; 4.4 in 2025; 4.7 in 2026.
  - Private: 16.4 in 2022; 18.8 in 2023; 21.7 in 2024; 26.5 in 2025; 32.9 in 2026.
  - Total: 19.9 in 2022; 22.7 in 2023; 25.8 in 2024; 30.9 in 2025; 37.6 in 2026.
  - Non-oil inv. rate: 14.4 in 2022; 16.9 in 2023; 21.4 in 2024; 26.6 in 2025; 33.0 in 2026.
- Reference scenario — Investment rates (in %):
  - Public: 4.2 in 2022; 4.7 in 2023; 4.5 in 2024; 4.9 in 2025; 5.3 in 2026.
  - Private: 9.3 in 2022; 11.2 in 2023; 12.1 in 2024; 13.7 in 2025; 1.8 in 2026.
  - Total: 13.5 in 2022; 15.8 in 2023; 16.6 in 2024; 18.6 in 2025; 21.1 in 2026.
  - Non-oil inv. rate: 5.7 in 2022; 7.3 in 2023; 8.4 in 2024; 9.9 in 2025; 11.7 in 2026.
- Overall investment rate would rise from 19.9% of GDP in 2022 to 37.6% in 2026; private investment identified as main driver (para 338).

### Inflation trends
- INS projections: price trend below CEMAC recommendation (3%) in 2022 before stabilising at 3.0% from 2023 onwards; inflation curve stabilises at 3% in last four years of period (para 339).

### Resources — own-source revenue projections (para 340 and Table 9)
- Own-source revenue (OWN INCOME) in NDP scenario:
  - XAF 1 835,7 billion in 2022;
  - 1855,6 in 2023;
  - 2005,8 in 2024;
  - 2138,8 in 2025;
  - 2169,8 in 2026.
- OIL REVENUES:
  - 1076 in 2022;
  - 1029 in 2023;
  - 1094 in 2024;
  - 1022 in 2025;
  - 930 in 2026.
- NON-OIL REVENUES:
  - 759,7 in 2022;
  - 826,6 in 2023;
  - 911,8 in 2024;
  - 1116,8 in 2025;
  - 1239,8 in 2026.
- TAX REVENUES:
  - 720,4 in 2022;
  - 784,8 in 2023;
  - 867,2 in 2024;
  - 1068,5 in 2025;
  - 1188,9 in 2026.
- NON-TAX REVENUES:
  - 39,3 in 2022;
  - 41,8 in 2023;
  - 44,7 in 2024;
  - 48,3 in 2025;
  - 50,9 in 2026.
- Summary: Own-source revenue increases from XAF 1 835,7 billion in 2022 to XAF 2 169,8 billion in 2026; non-oil revenues rise from CFAF 759,7 billion in 2022 to CFAF 1 239,8 billion in 2026; oil revenues rise until 2024 then fall to CFAF 930.0 billion in 2026 (para 340).

### Current account developments (para 341 and Table 10)
- Current account balance (NDP scenario):
  - 659,1 in 2022;
  - 261,5 in 2023;
  - 19,3 in 2024;
  - -189,4 in 2025;
  - -349,9 in 2026.
- Trade balance:
  - 3212,4 in 2022;
  - 2860,6 in 2023;
  - 2417,3 in 2024;
  - 2113,3 in 2025;
  - 2032,8 in 2026.
- Balance of services:
  - -985,9 in 2022;
  - -1053,2 in 2023;
  - -1303,8 in 2024;
  - -1268,6 in 2025;
  - -1218,7 in 2026.
- Income balance:
  - -1576,0 in 2022;
  - -1560,2 in 2023;
  - -1106,6 in 2024;
  - -1057,5 in 2025;
  - -1191,9 in 2026.
- Current transfers balance:
  - 8,6 in 2022;
  - 14,2 in 2023;
  - 12,4 in 2024;
  - 23,5 in 2025;
  - 27,9 in 2026.
- Narrative: Current account surplus from 2022 to 2024 decreasing from XAF 659,1 billion in 2022 to XAF 19,1 billion in 2024; deficits in 2025 and 2026 worsen from CFAF -189,4 billion in 2025 to CFAF -349,9 billion in 2026 due to negative services and income balances and decreasing trade surplus (para 341).

### Monetary situation (para 342 and Table 11)
- Money supply (M2) in NDP scenario:
  - 3344,4 in 2022;
  - 4245,0 in 2023;
  - 4501,3 in 2024;
  - 5630,4 in 2025;
  - 6418,2 in 2026.
- Net External Assets:
  - 587,6 in 2022;
  - 698,4 in 2023;
  - 914,4 in 2024;
  - 1044,1 in 2025;
  - 1262,5 in 2026.
- Net Domestic Credit:
  - 2756,9 in 2022;
  - 3546,6 in 2023;
  - 3586,9 in 2024;
  - 4586,3 in 2025;
  - 5155,7 in 2026.
- Net receivables from the State:
  - 1468,0 in 2022;
  - 1962,0 in 2023;
  - 2186,0 in 2024;
  - 2444,0 in 2025;
  - 2685,0 in 2026.
- Credits to the Economy:
  - 1137,4 in 2022;
  - 1251,6 in 2023;
  - 1266,0 in 2024;
  - 1519,6 in 2025;
  - 1680,6 in 2026.
- Growth rates for monetary aggregates (para 342):
  - Net external assets: -2.9% in 2022; 18.9% in 2023; 30.9% in 2024; 14.2% in 2025; 20.9% in 2026.
  - Net claims on the State: 20.6% in 2022; 33.7% in 2023; 11.4% in 2024; 11.8% in 2025; 9.9% in 2026.
  - Credits to the economy: 9.6% in 2022; 10.0% in 2023; 1.2% in 2024; 20.0% in 2025; 10.6% in 2026.
  - Money supply growth: 15.3% in 2022; 26.9% in 2023; 6.0% in 2024; 25.1% in 2025; 14.0% in 2026.

### Impact of growth on employment and poverty
- Reducing unemployment (paras 343–344):
  - Recommendation: African countries should aim for economic growth > 5.0% to reduce unemployment.
  - NDP scenario: first two years post-implementation non-oil growth rates < 5.0% and unemployment increases by 1 percentage point.
  - Last three years: unemployment should fall by 5.9 percentage points to 6.5% in 2026.
  - Overall: unemployment rate reduces by 4.9 percentage points from 11.4% in 2022 to 6.5% in 2026 under NDP.
- Poverty reduction (paras 345–346):
  - NDP scenario average annual growth: 7% over plan period.
  - Demographic projection: population growth at 2.8% annually.
  - Resulting GDP per capita increase: 4.2% on average per year during NDP implementation, implying generalised rise in income and poverty reduction.
  - Poverty rate at end of NDP: 38.1%, down 14 percentage points from 2022 level estimated at 51.9% (World Bank) (para 346).

### Risks to NDP implementation (para 348 onwards)
- Five groups of risk factors identified (para 348):
  - (i) risks related to the international situation;
  - (ii) economic and financial risks;
  - (iii) health risks;
  - (iv) environmental and climatic risks;
  - (v) risks related to the low level of support from stakeholders.
- Risks related to international situation (para 349):
  - Resurgence of multifaceted tensions (trade war) and continuing Covid-19 pandemic could raise export tariffs, slow global growth, reduce demand for commodities.
  - Health shock could cause workplace closures, supply chain disruption and workforce reduction affecting national activity and NDP implementation.
- Economic and financial risks (paras 350–353):
  - NDP financing depends on contributions from state, private sector, TFPs and development partners; mobilisation partly linked to agreement and success of IMF-supported programme.
  - Non-agreement or suspension of IMF support, failure to restructure external public debt may affect resource mobilisation.
  - Congo classified among countries at risk of debt distress, limiting room for non-concessional borrowing.
  - Resurgence of Covid-19 in trading partners could reduce demand and revenues and shift donor priorities away from assistance programs.
  - Fall in raw material prices poses financing risk given heavy oil dependence.
  - Domestic accumulation of domestic debt may reduce private sector capacity to finance activities under NDP strategic pillars (para 353).
- Environmental and climatic risks (para 354):
  - Climate change may alter rainfall patterns, threatening agricultural component: too much rainfall (flooding, erosion) impacts housing, health, transport and crops; too little rainfall (heat, drought) affects agriculture and hydroelectric power (river stretching).
  - Environmental risks from oil, forestry or mining operations include pollution.

*Source: 1cogea2023002 - 320. The  overall  impacts  of  NDP in  the  health  sector  could contribute  to  accelerate  the — IMF PDF content provided*

### 355. A resurgence of the Covid-19 pandemic could  lead  to a sharp drop in economic  activity

### 355. A resurgence of the Covid-19 pandemic could  lead  to a sharp drop in economic  activity

### Risks overview
- A Covid-19 resurgence could reduce the level and quality of the available workforce (deaths and sick people) and cause supply difficulties, detrimental to achieving the NDP objectives.
- Mobilisation of resources to deal with the pandemic could crowd out NDP-related capital expenditure.
- The NDP’s success depends on capacity and willingness of all stakeholders to act concertedly; low stakeholder ownership is a material risk.

### Risks and mitigation measures (summary from Table 1)
- Risks related to the international situation:
  - Risks: renewed multi-faceted tensions in international relations; risk of open trade war; fall in the price of certain raw materials such as oil.
  - Mitigation measures: Strengthening inter-African economic links; diversification of economic and financial partners; diversification of the country's exports.
- Economic and financial risks:
  - Risks: under-financing of the 2022-2026 NDP (low mobilisation of internal resources, low concessional debt capacity).
  - Mitigation measures: increase tax revenues; make substantial savings on current expenditure; diversify the country's exports.
- Environmental and climate risks:
  - Risks: flooding; reduced electricity production from hydroelectric dams; seasonal instability.
  - Mitigation measures: Development and implementation of climate change adaptation programmes; promotion of new sustainable production and consumption patterns.
- Health risks:
  - Risks: resurgence of the Covid-19 pandemic.
  - Mitigation measures: Strengthen the Covid-19 response programme; promoting and developing telework.
- Risks related to low stakeholder buy-in:
  - Risks: low ownership of national development stakeholders.
  - Mitigation measures: effectively implement the institutional framework for the implementation of the NDP 2022-2026.

### Implementation cycle and constraints
- Successful implementation requires coherent articulation of: strategic planning, budgeting and budget policy management, annual priority setting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, coordination, and statistical production.
- Identified implementation challenges:
  - (i) weak coordination of implementation;
  - (ii) weak planning and budgeting for set targets;
  - (iii) weak monitoring and evaluation systems;
  - (iv) limited funding;
  - (v) weak national statistical system (NSS).

### NDP implementation components
- The NDP 2022-2026 consists of three components:
  - Action Plan: current status of each strategic pillar; describes challenges and recommends interventions; details sources of funding, timelines, activities, expected results and responsible entities.
  - Financing strategy: coordinated actions for mobilisation of financial resources; specifies sources and modalities of financing.
  - Monitoring and evaluation strategy: links inputs, implementation and outcomes through progress and stakeholder reports.

### Implementation structure and roles
- Institutions identified to oversee implementation: Institutions of the Republic, the Government, the Parliament, departmental branches, and stakeholders (private sector, TFPs, civil society).
- Roles (selected highlights):
  - Institutions of the Republic: major decision-making role (Presidency, Prime Minister's Office, Court of Auditors, GSI, etc.).
  - Government: coordinate implementation; implement operational procedures; prepare the work plan for twenty-seven (27) NDP programmes; ensure flow of financial resource requirements; make the NDP monitoring and evaluation system effective.
  - Parliament: ensure accountability, transparency and value for money through oversight and voting on finance laws or agreements.
  - Private sector and civil society: participate in coordination through platforms/consultation frameworks; contribute to departmental strategic plans; validate evaluation reports.
  - Departments: contextualise implementation at departmental level; ministries liaise with departmental structures for policy guidance and supervision.

### Implementation strategy requirements
- Key requirements guiding implementation:
  - (i) Align ministerial, operational unit, and government structure plans with the NDP.
  - (ii) Shift from resource to programme budgets to ensure programme management, performance orientation, optimisation of public spending, securing investment and greater accountability.
  - (iii) Strengthen data access systems: systems for data collection, processing, archiving and dissemination to include indicators for monitoring and evaluating the NDP.
  - (iv) Involve the national community: encourage citizen involvement through civil society actions; raise awareness via media, newspapers and conferences.

### Financing scheme — costs (10.1.1)
- Overall cost of the NDP: eight thousand nine hundred and sixty-two billion five hundred and ninety-four million (8,962,594,000,000) francs CFA.
- Average annual cost: one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two billion five hundred and nineteen million eight hundred thousand (1,792,518.8) francs CFA.
- Share devoted to capital expenditure: eight thousand nine hundred and thirty-five billion one hundred and eighteen million (8 935 118 000 000 ) francs CFA.
- Costs related to operationalisation (communication, resource mobilisation, production of statistics and monitoring-evaluation): twenty-seven billion ninety-six million (27,476,000,000) francs CFA, which is 0.31% of the overall cost of the NDP.

### Financing the NDP — acquired funding and gap (10.1.2, Tables)
- Financing split:
  - Acquired financing (A): 2,471.0 billion francs CFA (27.57% of overall cost).
  - Funding gap (B): 6,491.59 billion francs CFA (72.43% of overall cost).
- Acquired funding composition:
  - State's own resources: 1,291.0 billion francs CFA — 52.25% of financing acquired; represents 14.40% of overall cost.
    - FAR (State's oil-related projection line): 1 119,00 billion francs CFA — 12.49% of overall cost; 45.29% of acquired financing.
    - Floating party at more than $65/barrel: 172 — 1.92% of overall cost; 6.96% of acquired financing.
  - External resources: 1,180.00 billion francs CFA — 47.75% of financing acquired; represents 13.17% of overall cost.
    - Donations and legacies: 238 — 2.66% of overall cost; 9.63% of acquired financing.
    - Loans: 767 — 8.56% of overall cost; 31.04% of acquired financing.
    - Partnerships (PPP): 175 — 1.95% of overall cost; 7.08% of acquired financing.
- Funding gap financing plan (total gap 6,491.59 billion francs CFA):
  - Traditional external funding: 2,992.0 billion francs CFA — 45.91% of the gap; representing 33.38% of overall cost.
    - Concessional loans: 70 199 207 224 250 950 (as table lines indicate for concessional loans totals and structure).
    - Private external financing (FDI): 1 792,00 billion francs CFA — 19.99% of overall cost; 27.5% of the gap.
  - Innovative external funding: 1,514.60 billion francs CFA — 23.24% of the gap; representing 16.90% of overall cost.
    - Thematic financial markets: 529,6 — 5.91% of overall cost; 8.13% of the gap.
    - Partnerships (PPP): 985 — 10.99% of overall cost; 15.11% of the gap.
  - Domestic funding: 1,984.98 billion francs CFA — 30.85% of the gap; representing 22.15% of overall cost.
    - National private funding: 1,984.98 billion francs CFA — 22,15% of overall cost; 30,85% of the gap.

### Funding gap details (10.1.2.2)
- Funding gap: 6,491.59 billion francs CFA (72.43% of overall cost).
  - Traditional external financing: 2,992.0 billion francs CFA — 45.91% of the gap; 33.38% of overall cost.
  - Innovative external financing: 1,514.6 billion francs CFA — 23.24% of the gap; 16.90% of overall cost.
  - Domestic financing: 1,984.98 billion francs CFA — 30.85% of the gap; 22.15% of overall cost.

### Financing constraints (10.1.3)
- Government’s ability to raise funds is limited by:
  - (i) constraints related to the conclusion of an agreement with the IMF;
  - (ii) constraints arising from the debt and own resources strategy;
  - (iii) low attractiveness of the country for foreign direct investment (FDI).

### Constraints related to an IMF agreement (10.1.3.1)
- The IMF-supported programme will take place during the first three years of NDP implementation; NDP financing policy must align with constraints of the IMF agreement.
- Financing policy must consider the concessionality constraint of 35% grant element recommended for low-income countries having or negotiating an IMF-supported macroeconomic recovery programme.

### Constraints from the debt strategy (10.1.3.2)
- MTDS 2022-2024 prudent framework policy constraints:
  - exclusive recourse to concessional loans (low rates and long maturities);
  - maintain balance between loans denominated in foreign and local currencies (priority for currencies with a fixed parity with the CFAF);
  - gradual lengthening of the duration of public securities on the domestic market;
  - requirement for a better combination of domestic and external debt.

### Low attraction to FDI (10.1.3.3)
- NDP success depends on private sector contribution to financing programmes linked to six (6) pillars.
- Government constraints to mobilise private financing:
  - (i) improvement of the business climate;
  - (ii) implementation of incentive measures to improve company competitiveness.

### Financing strategy (10.1.4)
- Government will mobilise resources using national and international financial potential, including:
  - the State's own resources;
  - securities from regional/international monetary and financial markets;
  - external concessional loans;
  - external non-concessional post-programme loans;
  - donations and legacies;
  - public-private partnerships (PPP);
  - domestic private investment;
  - foreign direct investment;
  - innovative financing.

### Internal resources — mobilisation focus (10.1.4.1)
- Internal mobilisation will identify potential niches and optimise them for sustainable financing; primary resource is the state budget own resources derived from oil revenues, tax revenues, use of public securities and sale of a fraction of capital of public companies on the stock market.
- Oil revenues:
  - Oil revenues accounted for about half of the state budget's own revenues in 2020.
  - The Congo will remain heavily dependent on oil for the next few years despite price volatility.
  - Oil resources will constitute the largest share of FAR; better allocation and use of oil revenues can finance diversification projects and build national savings.
- Tax and customs revenues: (text continues beyond supplied content).

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### 382. These  require  an  effort  to  rationalise  public  spending,  a  strong  mobilisation  of  tax  and

### 1cogea2023002 - 382. These  require  an  effort  to  rationalise  public  spending,  a  strong  mobilisation  of  tax  and

### Public financing and use of public securities
- Long-term domestic revenue challenge: low rate of formalisation of the informal sector limits taxation of that sector; direct taxation of the informal sector has proved difficult.
- The issuance of public securities is a financing source to supplement state revenues for the financing of the NDP 2022-2026.
- Instruments and rationale:
  - Domestic issuance on the monetary market through assimilable treasury bonds (ATB) and assimilable treasury bills (ATB).
  - Banking system mobilisation following the example of the "Club de Brazzaville" using ATBs, bond loans and assistance from the local banking system; advantage: reduces exchange rate risk by being denominated in national currency and favours development of the domestic market.
  - Public offering on the regional financial market to develop and deepen the domestic market, yielding less volatile resources in volumes, financial conditions and refinancing of maturities.
  - Financial market issuance through bonds, also reducing exchange rate risk as denominated in national currency.
- Sale of public company equity:
  - Sale on the Central African Stock Exchange of a fraction of the capital of public companies is an opportunity to mobilise financial resources for the state to finance the NDP, contingent on good valuation.

### External resources: traditional funding (bilateral and multilateral)
- IMF engagement:
  - The conclusion of an agreement with the IMF is necessary to mobilise external resources and to develop South-South cooperation in concessional lending.
  - Better mobilisation of traditional resources remains dependent on the conclusion of an agreement with the IMF.
- Trends in donor support:
  - A decline in support from main traditional donors has been noted in recent years, aggravated by the COVID-19 health crisis and global economic slowdown.
- Bilateral funding and South-South cooperation:
  - Financial support from new partners (China, India, Turkey, Arab Funds) that had compensated earlier drops also slowed.
  - Global south-south cooperation flows are growing by more than 10% per year, and this trend is expected to continue for at least the next 15 years unless there are economic disruptions in key countries such as China, South Korea, Turkey and India.
  - The Republic of Congo could foresee an increase in funding from South-South cooperation at least until 2030, conditional on ensuring concessionality of such cooperation.
  - Opportunities exist with South Africa, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Singapore, which have concessional financing windows and experiences that could be shared.
- Multilateral funding:
  - World Bank partnership framework revision covers the period 2019-2024; renewal of IDA resources from 1 July 2022 offers access to additional Regional IDA window resources on a 1 to 3 ratio.
  - With IBRD resources available, World Bank funding for 2022-2026 is likely to be higher than for 2018-2021.
  - Government preparing a 100 million USD project financed from IBRD resources: the Digital Transformation Acceleration Project.
  - African Development Bank engagement:
    - Preparation of the African Development Bank's Country Strategy Paper for 2023-2026 to be solicited in line with NDP objectives.
    - Financing outlook for the African Development Bank is positive for 2022-2026.
- Foreign direct investment (FDI):
  - Republic of Congo received $4015.5 million in foreign direct investment in 2020 (UNCTAD, 2021).
  - Over 90% of FDI flows are concentrated in the oil sector.
  - Policy imperative: substantial reforms of the investment policy framework and the business climate to attract and benefit more FDI for strategic sectors (agriculture, industry); development of special economic zones is a strategic pillar of NDP 2022-2026 and requires significant inflow of non-oil FDI.

### Innovative financing and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP)
- Climate and environmental finance:
  - Mobilise resources from global environmental funds linked to Congo Basin and sustainable development: Green Climate Fund, Climate Investment Fund (CIF), Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF), African Climate Change Fund (ACCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), Central African Forest Investment (CAFI), Adaptation Fund.
  - Commercialisation of carbon credits linked to REDD+ is a potential revenue source; recently discovered peatlands sequester more than 30 billion tons of carbon.
- PPP and infrastructure finance:
  - PPP central to financing national development plans and large infrastructure projects.
  - Total amount mobilised for infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa has averaged USD 4 billion per year since 2012.
  - Creation of a ministerial department on PPP is identified as a privileged pillar for financing major projects.
- Other innovative mechanisms:
  - Crowdfunding: organise collection of financial contributions from a large number of individuals through public or private organisations under State supervision for particular projects or companies.

### Prior reforms required (2022) to improve business climate and enable financing
- Reforms and institutional strengthening needed in 2022:
  - Accelerate implementation of the national committee for consultation between private sector and public administrations.
  - Accelerate structuring of private sector representative organisations' platforms to ensure coherent and effective dialogue.
  - Simplify and lighten taxation and parafiscality; accompany with a business tax system more oriented towards private sector growth; generalise use of digital platforms for paying public services to combat harassment and encourage migration of informal sector to formal sector.
  - Improve legal and judicial environment: support Congo Mediation and Arbitration Centre for popularisation of OHADA law and training of judges, court clerks, court officers and private sector lawyers, including commercial courts.
  - Strengthen capacities of official support structures: Investment Promotion Agency, Congolese Agency for Business Creation, Agency for the Development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Impetus, Guarantee and Support Fund, Congolese Employment Agency, National Fund for Supporting Employability and Learning; objectives include facilitating bank financing via risk-sharing mechanisms, developing access to credit, promoting market access, adapting vocational training to needs of VSEs, SMEs, craft industry and informal sector.
  - Facilitate establishment of export-oriented companies and attract FDI through development of special economic zones and revision of the investment charter.
  - Adopt a national strategy for development of PPPs following Decree No. 2021-339 of 6 July 2021 on powers of the Minister for International Cooperation and the Promotion of Public-Private Partnerships, drawing on lessons from the Symposium on PPPs organised by the Centre for Prospective Development in collaboration with the PPP Med Africa Club from 17 to 19 December 2020, and experiences of leading African countries.
  - Organise crowdfunding under State supervision to broaden financing of companies and economic entities.

### Programme budgeting (budget par objectif) and tools
- Concept and objectives:
  - Programme budget organises public authorities' activities, linking appropriation authorisations to implementation actions with objectives and results indicators; requires new managerial steering functions.
  - Switch to the programme budget within NDP 2022-2026 corresponds to budgetary and accounting reform as a lever for State reform; management shifts from means to results in multi-annual programmes.
- Principles of multiannual budgetary approach:
  - Contribute to overall budgetary discipline by ensuring future budgetary impact of public policies is compatible with State's financial possibilities and aligned with medium-term macroeconomic framework.
  - Allow programming over time of resource reallocations according to new priorities.
  - Provide managers greater predictability in managing their programmes.
  - These approaches do not call into question the principle of annuality of the budget; multi-annual expenditure programmes such as MTEFs are indicative beyond the year of the budget.
- Tools and mechanisms:
  - The NDP 2022-2026 is the national policy framework from which sectoral strategies derive.
  - Budgeting and financial programming tools (PPAP, PAP, MTBF, MTEF, SFOT) determine annual budgetary tranches within mechanisms of Commitment Authorisations (CA) and Payment Credits (PC).
  - The preparation and examination of the finance bill will shift focus from quantitative evolution of appropriations to objectives and cost/efficiency ratio of public policies.
  - Parliament will allocate globalised credit envelopes to ministers leading strategic pillars in return for defined objectives with indicators to measure results.
- Objectives of programme budget for NDP 2022-2026:
  - Promote strategy through greater clarity of strategic choices of public finances and strengthening of budgetary orientation debate.
  - Improve transparency by giving parliamentarians a more active role through extension of the right to amend and easier access to information for Economic and Finance Committee of both chambers.
  - Increase efficiency by giving managers more freedom through commitment to results and greater transparency on resource use.

### Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of the NDP and LDPs
- Primary objectives of a permanent and effective information system for M&E:
  - (i) Ensure Government's commitment to accountability for development results.
  - (ii) Define mechanisms for measuring performance, effectiveness and efficiency of NDP's priority policies, programmes and projects.
  - (iii) Provide channels for effective feedback or resource allocation on implementation of economic and social policies.
  - (iv) Strengthen basis for a transparent process enabling shared assessment of results by Congolese citizens and development actors.
- Monitoring of programmes and actions:
  - NDP M&E strategy defines mechanisms including monitoring, inspection, review and evaluation steps, and tools for data collection, management and analysis.
  - Monitoring performed through five blocks of activities:
    - (i) monitoring of ministerial action programmes (monitoring of annual performance reports);
    - (ii) monitoring of the public investment programme (PIP);
    - (iii) monitoring of the government's macroeconomic and financial programme;
    - (iv) monitoring of the governance reform programme;
    - (v) monitoring of the co-financed public investment programme.
  - Responsibility: ministry in charge of planning in collaboration with sectoral ministries.
- Evaluation framework:
  - Evaluation complements monitoring as a major NDP M&E activity, based on results-based management (RBM) and three conceptual foundations:
    - i) Formative evaluation: critical analysis of collected data for dynamic monitoring; assesses progressive achievement of objectives; in joint annual reviews explains deviations and proposes readjustments.
    - ii) Mid-term evaluation: notes main advances and proposes modifications to refine or modify pillars/programmes; results examined by the Council of Ministers.
    - iii) Summative (final) evaluation: carried out at end of NDP 2022-2026 implementation; provides general assessment and final certification of level of achievement and overall success; responsibility of Technical Coordination of monitoring and evaluation mechanism.
- Institutional mechanism:
  - The M&E mechanism for this programmatic framework is based on shortcomings noted in the previous mechanism and lessons learned from final evaluation of NDP 2018- (text truncated).

*Italic: Source — content unit 1cogea2023002, extracted from the provided IMF PDF content.*

### 2022.  These  elements  revealed,   among  other things,  the  non-operationalisation  of  the

### 1cogea2023002 - 2022

### Key diagnostic findings (from 2022 review)
- Non-operationalisation of the monitoring-evaluation mechanism.
- Insufficiency of reliable statistical data to support implementation and planning of development policies.
- Weakness of coordination of implementation and of the National Statistical System (NSS).
- Lack of communication between the various actors of the mechanism.

### Institutional design and roles for NDP 2022-2026
- The framework links producers and users of information into a coherent system to improve reporting and feedback and to manage development results at all levels.
- The mechanism comprises strategic steering and validation bodies and bodies responsible for coordination between development actors.

- Steering Committee (COPIL)
  - Missions:
    - (i) set the development priorities selected in the NDP each year;
    - (ii) decide on the allocation of resources according to the priorities defined;
    - (iii) approve the annual performance report on the implementation of the NDP and transmit it to Parliament;
    - (iv) provide the necessary arbitrations in the last instance.
  - Composition:
    - Chaired by the Prime Minister, Head of Government; assisted by the Minister in charge of planning.
    - Includes members of Government responsible for NDP pillars and those whose involvement is effective for implementation, as well as the ministry in charge of State control.
    - May call on any resource person for advice on specific issues.
  - Functioning:
    - Secretary under the Director of the Cabinet of the Minister in charge of Planning, assisted by the Director General of Planning and Development, the Director General of the National Centre for Studies and Evaluation of Public Investment Projects (CSEPIP) and the Director General of the National Institute of Statistics (NIS).
    - Meets at least twice a year in ordinary session; may meet in extraordinary session.

- Technical Coordination (TC)
  - Role: operationalises Steering Committee decisions and orientations; ensures functioning of the evaluation mechanism, effectiveness of administrative and technical monitoring, and availability of expected products.
  - Tasks:
    - (i) implement the NDP evaluation mechanism and operationalise institutional framework;
    - (ii) animate participatory processes around implementation and evaluation;
    - (iii) operationalise strategic and political orientations from the Steering Committee;
    - (iv) execute and follow up Steering Committee decisions;
    - (v) examine and validate proposals and draft technical documents submitted by the CTP;
    - (vi) follow up availability of evaluation products.
  - Composition:
    - Chairman: minister in charge of planning; Vice-chairman: minister in charge of finance.
    - Reporter: director of the cabinet of the minister in charge of planning.
    - Members: representatives of ministries and institutions directly involved in NDP implementation, appointed by the minister in charge of planning upon designation by supervisory authorities.
  - Functioning:
    - Secretariat under the director of control and evaluation of investments of the Directorate General of Planning and Development (DGPD), assisted by the director of monitoring and evaluation of projects of CSEPIP and the director of synthesis and economic analysis of the Directorate General of the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
    - Meets at least four times a year, convened by its chairman.
    - Drafts may be sent to the Task Force for opinion; final documents sent to the Steering Committee for decision.

- Standing Technical Committee (STC)
  - Role: linchpin of monitoring and evaluation; provides technical expertise for programme monitoring and performance evaluation of NDP 2022-2026 implementation.
  - Missions:
    - (i) conduct technical monitoring and evaluation activities for NDP programmes and actions;
    - (ii) operationalise orientations of the TC;
    - (iii) examine files to be transmitted to the TC;
    - (iv) ensure technical and material organisation of annual, mid-term, final and ex-post evaluations;
    - (v) elaborate draft reports on technical monitoring and evaluation activities with development actors;
    - (vi) elaborate and revise the matrix of indicators for monitoring and evaluation;
    - (vii) inform the NDP 2022-2026 website about activities, products or useful information relating to TC tasks;
    - (viii) elaborate draft budgets of the TC.
  - Composition:
    - Chaired by the Director of the Cabinet of the Minister in charge of Planning; Vice-chair: Director General of Planning and Development (DGPD).
    - Members include: Director General of CNEPIP; Director General of NIS; director general of the economy (DGE); Director General of CASP; Director General of the Development Partnership; Director General of the Congolese Amortization Fund (CCF); director general of the budget; an expert in communication.
    - May call on resource persons without voting rights.
  - Functioning:
    - Secretariat: Director of Investment Monitoring and Evaluation (DIME), Director of Project Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME), and Director of Economic Synthesis and Analysis (DESA) of the NSI.
    - Meets at least four times a year.
    - Relies on operational units and departmental sections to carry out tasks.

### Operational units, departmental sections, and branches
- Operational cells (six identified):
  - Unit headed by the Director General of Planning and Development — planning work related to monitoring and evaluation of the NDP.
  - Unit headed by the Director General of CNEPIP — studies related to monitoring and evaluation of the NDP.
  - Unit headed by the Director General of the NIS — statistical work related to monitoring and evaluation of the NDP.
  - Unit headed by the Director General of the Economy — macroeconomic and budgetary work related to monitoring and evaluation of the NDP.
  - Unit headed by the Director General of the CCA — financing work related to monitoring and evaluation of the NDP.
  - Unit headed by a communication expert — communication work related to monitoring and evaluation of the NDP.
- Responsibilities of each operational unit are defined by an order of the minister in charge of the plan, president of the TC.
- Composition and organisation of operational units include executives from DGPD, CNEEPIP, INS, DGPAD, DGE, DGGT, CCA, DGB and directorates of studies and planning of sectoral ministries. Other operational cells may be created by order of the minister in charge of planning.
- Departmental sections:
  - Role: coordinate performance evaluation of programmes and actions of the NDP 2022-2026 at departmental level.
  - Composition: departmental plan directors coordinate; composed of departmental directors of statistics and those responsible for implementing the six NDP pillars.
  - Meetings: meet as often as necessary by decision of the President of the STC; secretariat provided by the departmental director of statistics.
- For Local Development Plans (LDPs), the same scheme applies with:
  - Steering committee; technical coordination; permanent technical committee (PTC).
  - PTC relies on operational units and departmental branches (focal points) instead of departmental sections.
  - Departmental branches tasks:
    - (i) transmit information on LDP implementation to the PTC;
    - (ii) carry out analysis and interpretation of statistics;
    - (iii) monitor all plans and programmes;
    - (iv) participate in annual, mid-term, final and ex-post reviews and evaluations of LDP performance.
  - Composition: representative of the Prefect of the department as president; departmental director in charge of planning and development as vice-president; departmental director of the INS; representative of the departmental council in charge of planning; one representative per municipality; representative of NGOs; representative of the private sector; departmental representatives of development partners; representative of economic operators.
  - Functioning: secretariat provided by departmental director of planning as first secretary, assisted by the departmental director of statistics as second secretary; meet at least four times a year.

### Monitoring and evaluation approach
- Framework based on principles of results-based management (RBM).
- Each result level is supported by key performance indicators that track progress towards achievement of results.
- Monitoring arrangements require lower levels to report consistently on indicators to higher levels; implementing structures are interdependent and integrated.
- Structures collect and document performance data useful for measuring progress and reporting.
- Framework applies to all stakeholders and defines roles and responsibilities of all actors in monitoring and evaluation activities.

### Communication strategy for NDP 2022-2026
- Purpose: ensure visibility and readability of the NDP 2022-2026 and programmes for diversifying the economy through the private sector.
- Objective of the communication plan:
  - Provide sustainable solutions that allow people to take charge of their lives without necessarily needing social assistance; promote empowerment.
  - Develop a tool for social and political influence to promote participation and social change using interpersonal communication, community media and modern information technologies.
  - Position communication as a cross-cutting activity to strengthen dialogue with beneficiaries, partners and authorities, foster local ownership, produce sustainable impact, and promote government actions in implementing the NDP.
- Development tasks for the communication plan:
  - Define and prepare communication tools and media necessary for implementation.
  - Design a communication methodology through widely distributed media (TV, radio, written press, social networks, website, etc.).
  - Propose a timetable for workshops to popularise programmes linked to NDP implementation and completion.
  - Propose a roadmap and related costs.
- Content and channels:
  - Two main communication pillars: institutional communication and development communication.
  - Communication for Development (C4D) to promote participation and social change via interpersonal communication, community media and modern ICT.
  - Tools: press relations, interpersonal/event communication, ATL communication (press, radio, television), digital communication (Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, web pages, SMS, etc.).

### Strategic orientation and macroeconomic projection
- NDP objective: establish priority economic development programmes toward a strong, diversified and resilient economy for inclusive growth and irreversible sustainable development.
- Development process: participatory and inclusive; incorporates aspirations of sectoral ministries and the population.
- Strategic focus: economy as priority to lay foundations for structural transformation while delivering social progress and increasing basic infrastructures.
- Macroeconomic projection under an optimistic scenario:
  - Average non-oil economic growth rate forecast: 7.0% over the period.
  - Non-oil economic growth rate projected to reach 10% in 2026.
- Implementation coordination: coordinated by the Prime Minister, Head of Government.

*Source: 1cogea2023002 - 2022*

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_Source: https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/cr/2023/english/1cogea2023002.pdf_