Democratic Republic of Congo
The DRC’s political environment presents elevated risk, and power struggles (which overlap with existing armed insurgencies) have a negative impact on the business and investment environment. Most of the economy remains based in the extractive sector and corruption and infrastructure gaps make business in all other sectors difficult.
The mining sector continued its upward trajectory, with copper and cobalt production rising during the first half of 2019. Weak international demand conditions – stemming from the global economic slowdown – and softer commodity prices are set to undercut these gains, and economic growth is forecast to decelerate from 5.8% in 2018 to 4.5% in 2019. External headwinds are expected to persist, keeping growth below potential in the short- to medium term. (Source: DRC Quarterly Update, published September 2019.)
Macroeconomic Data
(2018)
|
Fiscal Balance (as a % of GDP) |
-0.4 |
|
Consumer Price Index (% change y-o-y, avg) |
21.7 |
|
Current Account Balance (as a % of GDP) |
-4.6 |
|
Real GDP (annual % change) |
5.8 |
|
GDP per Capita, US$ |
560.7 |
|
Import Cover (months) |
0.4 |
|
Population, million |
84.2 |
| Total External Debt (as a % of GDP) |
11.0 |