Ukraine offers e‑governance expertise as DRC pursues digital shift

On 18 February 2026, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Minister of Digital Economy, Augustin Kibassa Maliba, hosted Ukraine’s ambassador Dr Vasyl Hanyanin at his office in Kinshasa. According to the Congolese ministry’s dispatch, relayed in multiple local outlets, the meeting sought to strengthen bilateral ties and explore cooperation in the digital sector.

The ambassador underscored that Ukraine’s experience in digitising government services could help Congo modernise its administration, improve e‑governance and secure citizen data. Both sides framed the talks as a first step toward a pragmatic partnership rather than a formal agreement.

What Kyiv is offering. Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation has built Diia, an integrated mobile app and portal that provides digital passports, business registration and over 150 public services to more than 22 million users. It is the first national platform in the world to issue fully digital passports and is designed to simplify interactions with the state.

Ambassador Hanyanin told his Congolese hosts that this know‑how could be adapted to improve Congo’s electronic governance, protect personal data and optimise public services. He also emphasised that Ukraine’s experience with conflict‑driven digital resilience like the rapid deployment of e‑documents for internally displaced people illustrates the value of robust digital systems. The proposed cooperation could extend into sectors such as health, education and foreign affairs, with Ukraine offering technical support and training.

Kinshasa’s context and next steps.

Congo is currently drafting its National Digital Plan 2026–2030 (PNN2) and an Artificial Intelligence strategy, initiatives unveiled in October 2025 with a budget of around US$1 billion plus external financing. These programmes aim to develop infrastructure, roll out digital public platforms, build human capital and strengthen cyber‑security.

The plan builds on earlier efforts such as expanding fibre‑optic networks and launching an online tax portal and sets a goal of making the country a regional digital hub by 2030. In this context, the Ukrainian offer was welcomed as a potential catalyst: Congolese officials highlighted that knowledge sharing and technology transfer could create jobs and revenue for the population. No timeline or memorandum of understanding has been announced, but both sides signalled an intention to turn the conversation into concrete projects in the coming months.