Following the UK–DRC Economic Forum in London, ARSP Director General Ted Beleshayi says reliable electricity and stronger transport links are essential to convert Congo’s investment potential into productive projects, competitive local businesses and lasting national wealth.
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo — November 10, 2026 — The Democratic Republic of the Congo is moving the economic message delivered in London toward a practical investment agenda centred on energy, roads and stronger participation by Congolese enterprises.
Juan Ted Beleshayi Kasanda, Director General of the Regulatory Authority for Subcontracting in the Private Sector, used the recent UK–DRC Economic Forum to present the country’s improving business environment while identifying two essential foundations for its next stage of growth: reliable energy and modern communication infrastructure.
“To take greater advantage of the possibilities available to us, we need two things: energy and communication routes,” Beleshayi said in remarks reported by Actualite.cd on November 10.
His message gives the London forum a clear follow-up direction. The DRC has presented opportunities in mining, agriculture, manufacturing, technology and trade. The next priority is to connect those opportunities to the power supply and transport systems that allow investors and Congolese businesses to build factories, move goods and serve markets.
From “partnerships, not aid” to productive investment
The UK–DRC Economic Forum was held in London from November 2 to 4, bringing together Congolese officials and private-sector representatives with British business leaders and investors.
At the opening, Foreign Trade Minister Julien Paluku Kahongya made the Government’s position clear: the DRC was seeking mutually beneficial partnerships capable of producing industries, employment, exports and local value—not a traditional aid relationship.
XTRAfrica documented that opening message in “DRC Opens London Forum Seeking Partnerships, Not Aid”, including the Government’s presentation of opportunities in energy, mining, agriculture, infrastructure, tourism and industrial value chains.
The forum concluded with the signing of the London Declaration. According to the DRC Ministry of Foreign Trade, the three-day gathering included more than 80 heads of major British companies, Congolese private-sector representatives and officials from both countries.
INVESTMENT DEALS
DR Congo Puts Energy and Roads at Heart of UK Investment Push
10 nov. 2026
10 nov. 2026
12 min read
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Following the UK–DRC Economic Forum in London, ARSP Director General Ted Beleshayi says reliable electricity and stronger transport links are essential to convert Congo’s investment potential into productive projects, competitive local businesses and lasting national wealth.
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo — November 10, 2026 — The Democratic Republic of the Congo is moving the economic message delivered in London toward a practical investment agenda centred on energy, roads and stronger participation by Congolese enterprises.
Juan Ted Beleshayi Kasanda, Director General of the Regulatory Authority for Subcontracting in the Private Sector, used the recent UK–DRC Economic Forum to present the country’s improving business environment while identifying two essential foundations for its next stage of growth: reliable energy and modern communication infrastructure.
“To take greater advantage of the possibilities available to us, we need two things: energy and communication routes,” Beleshayi said in remarks reported by Actualite.cd on November 10.
His message gives the London forum a clear follow-up direction. The DRC has presented opportunities in mining, agriculture, manufacturing, technology and trade. The next priority is to connect those opportunities to the power supply and transport systems that allow investors and Congolese businesses to build factories, move goods and serve markets.
From “partnerships, not aid” to productive investment
The UK–DRC Economic Forum was held in London from November 2 to 4, bringing together Congolese officials and private-sector representatives with British business leaders and investors.
At the opening, Foreign Trade Minister Julien Paluku Kahongya made the Government’s position clear: the DRC was seeking mutually beneficial partnerships capable of producing industries, employment, exports and local value—not a traditional aid relationship.
XTRAfrica documented that opening message in “DRC Opens London Forum Seeking Partnerships, Not Aid”, including the Government’s presentation of opportunities in energy, mining, agriculture, infrastructure, tourism and industrial value chains.
The forum concluded with the signing of the London Declaration. According to the DRC Ministry of Foreign Trade, the three-day gathering included more than 80 heads of major British companies, Congolese private-sector representatives and officials from both countries.
The Ministry said British investors expressed interest in visiting the DRC to examine opportunities directly and explore joint ventures with Congolese companies. The forum’s stated objective was to strengthen trade, encourage bilateral investment and convert discussions into bankable projects.
Beleshayi’s intervention helps define what those bankable projects require. Investment opportunities become commercially viable when companies can secure electricity, obtain materials, move equipment, transport finished products and reach domestic or export markets.
Energy as the foundation of industrial growth
The DRC possesses some of Africa’s largest hydropower resources. Its river system gives the country the potential to supply households, businesses, mines, farms, processing plants and regional electricity markets.
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Beleshayi noted that the electricity sector has been opened to private participation and that new operators are gradually entering distribution. This evolution creates room for investment alongside the national electricity company, SNEL, and supports the Government’s wider objective of expanding access and productive capacity.
The importance of power extends far beyond the energy sector itself. Reliable electricity reduces operating costs, improves productivity and makes it possible to process more of Congo’s agricultural and mineral resources inside the country.
A copper-processing plant, agro-industrial facility, cold-storage centre, digital-service company or urban transport system cannot operate competitively without dependable energy. Expanding generation, transmission and distribution is therefore directly connected to local value addition, job creation and export growth.
The Government has already been positioning energy as a national investment priority. XTRAfrica previously reported that the DRC intends to direct proceeds from its debut Eurobond toward strategic projects in energy and transport infrastructure.
The country has also launched the HYDRO-RDC digital portal, designed to centralise information on thousands of potential hydropower sites and give prospective developers clearer access to technical and geographic data.
These initiatives support the message delivered in London: the DRC is not presenting energy merely as a public-service requirement. It is offering the sector as a platform for industrialisation, investment and economic sovereignty.
Roads that connect provinces, producers and markets
The second priority highlighted by the ARSP chief is transport connectivity, particularly the road network.
Beleshayi referred to national routes connecting major production centres, provincial capitals and commercial corridors. According to ACP’s account of his presentation, he cited the Kisangani–Beni, Mbuji-Mayi–Nguba and Kinshasa–Tshikapa links among strategic road projects capable of supporting trade and improving connections between provinces.
Coverage of the London remarks also identified the broader Kinshasa–Tshikapa–Kananga–Mbuji-Mayi network and links toward the Katanga region as important components of internal connectivity.
These roads matter because the size of the DRC is both an economic strength and a logistical challenge. The country has a large population, extensive agricultural land, major mineral deposits and commercial centres spread across a vast territory. Better roads allow those assets to function as one national economy.
Modern transport links can help farmers deliver produce before it spoils, reduce the cost of moving construction materials, improve access to industrial zones and help Congolese manufacturers reach customers in other provinces.
They also strengthen the investment case for projects located outside the largest cities. When a province has dependable road access, investors can plan transport costs more accurately, while local companies gain access to larger supply chains and consumer markets.
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Tendances actuelles
The Government’s wider road programme is already advancing this national-connectivity strategy. XTRAfrica has reported on the objective of creating a continuous Banana–Kasumbalesa road connection, linking the Atlantic gateway to the country’s southeastern commercial corridor.
Investment designed to strengthen Congolese companies
Beleshayi’s London message was not limited to attracting foreign capital. He placed Congolese entrepreneurs at the centre of the investment strategy.
Access to electricity and roads would allow local businesses to expand production, trade across provinces and compete for larger contracts. This is particularly important for small and medium-sized companies seeking entry into mining, construction, logistics, agriculture, telecommunications and industrial supply chains.
The ARSP’s mandate is to regulate subcontracting in the private sector and increase the participation of Congolese companies in economic opportunities generated by major investments.
Before the London forum, the institution had already held discussions with Baroness Sandip Verma, president of UK–DRC Business, focused on investment, the business environment, subcontracting and local content. The ARSP said those talks were intended to help Congolese companies participate more effectively in national value chains.
At the forum, Beleshayi also highlighted the local-content law promulgated by President Félix Tshisekedi on June 30, 2026. ACP reported that the legislation seeks to increase Congolese participation in company ownership, human resources and supply chains.
This creates an important link between infrastructure and national inclusion. Roads and electricity improve the operating environment; foreign and domestic investors establish projects; local-content and subcontracting frameworks help ensure that Congolese companies, workers and suppliers participate in the resulting value.
The objective is not to choose between foreign investment and national enterprise. It is to structure investment so that outside capital and expertise expand Congo’s productive base while strengthening local businesses.
Business-climate reforms support the investment offer
Beleshayi presented progress in simplifying procedures and improving the visibility of Congo’s business environment. These reforms help investors evaluate projects, prepare financing models and plan operations over several years.
The Ministry of Foreign Trade delivered a similar message at the forum’s opening. Its official report highlighted the digitisation of trade procedures, the DRC’s ratification of the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement, the progressive elimination of taxes considered harmful to business and the successful review of the country’s trade policy by WTO members.
These measures aim to make the investment process clearer and more efficient. Combined with energy and transport improvements, they can reduce operational uncertainty and help proposed projects become financeable.
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The approach can be summarised as three connected pillars:
Better rules and procedures to improve predictability and facilitate investment.
Energy and transport infrastructure to make productive projects commercially viable.
Local-content and subcontracting systems to connect investment with Congolese businesses, workers and suppliers.
Together, these pillars support the Government’s goal of turning Congo’s resources and market size into industries, jobs and broader national prosperity.
The London Declaration creates a platform for follow-through
The signing of the London Declaration gave the forum a formal closing outcome and a basis for continued economic engagement between the DRC and the United Kingdom.
The next phase is expected to include investor visits, closer examination of projects and the development of joint ventures. The sectors identified by the Ministry of Foreign Trade include commerce, agribusiness, transport, infrastructure, energy, mining, technology and tourism.
Communication and Media Minister Patrick Muyaya described the forum as another step in building the DRC’s international soft power. He invited British investors to participate in the Lobito and Banana corridor projects, which are central to the country’s strategy of improving regional and global trade links.
For Minister Paluku, the forum produced strong interest among British companies. The Government’s task now is to maintain that engagement, connect investors with Congolese partners and present projects with clear technical, financial and implementation frameworks.
What success would look like
The value of the forum will ultimately be visible in the projects and partnerships developed after London.
The most meaningful indicators would include:
British investor missions to the DRC;
signed joint ventures with Congolese companies;
financing commitments for power, roads and logistics;
new local suppliers entering major value chains;
jobs and technical training created for Congolese workers;
growth in locally processed agricultural and mineral products; and
bankable projects moving from presentation to implementation.
Beleshayi’s remarks provide a practical framework for that follow-through. Congo has the natural resources, population, entrepreneurial capacity and geographic position required for rapid growth. Energy and connectivity can unlock those advantages for both investors and citizens.
A partnership model centred on national development
The London forum reinforced the DRC’s evolving economic-diplomacy message: the country is seeking investment partnerships that expand productive capacity and create value inside Congo.
Energy and roads are essential to that strategy because they benefit multiple sectors at once. A power project can serve homes, mines, farms and factories. A road can connect producers, workers, cities, borders and ports. Each investment can create further opportunities for Congolese contractors and suppliers.
The ARSP’s role adds another layer by promoting local participation. Infrastructure should not only make the DRC attractive to international companies; it should also give Congolese businesses the tools to grow, compete and become major economic actors.
That is the central message from the forum’s follow-up: Congo’s investment potential is already recognised. The national priority is to build the energy, transport and business systems that transform that potential into production, commerce, employment and shared prosperity.
