AU sets up office in Congo capital

The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) has officially opened its Country Office in the Democratic Republic of Congo, marking a significant expansion of the Agency’s physical footprint on the continent. The launch establishes a permanent presence in Kinshasa, intended to bring continental technical expertise directly alongside national planning institutions.

The signing ceremony was presided over by President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo. The Host Country Agreement was formally signed by Ms. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of AUDA-NEPAD, and Mr. Julien Paluku Kahongya, Minister of Foreign Trade.

Minister Paluku stated that Africa should be fully interconnected within 100 years, but achieving this requires specific projects and resources. He noted that great ideas often remain in drawers without an institution capable of implementing them and securing financing. “The development of the Democratic Republic of the Congo no longer depends solely on ourselves,” he said.

He reiterated that the DRC’s development is now a priority for the entire continent due to its resources. Paluku highlighted the Grand Inga Project as a critical example. If successfully implemented through the Agency, the Inga project could provide electricity to between 300 million and 600 million Africans.

A Shift Toward Direct Implementation

“For AUDA-NEPAD to fulfil its mandate effectively, we must be closer to where implementation takes place,” said Ms. Bekele-Thomas. She emphasized the need to be closer to government, national priorities, and transformational opportunities. Congratulating the President on the country’s national development plan, she stated that when the DRC advances, multiple regions advance with it.

While the diplomatic language of the ceremony focused on partnership, the creation of this office effectively changes how development funds flow into the country. Instead of coordinating projects remotely from headquarters, the agency now has a dedicated base to handle Kinshasa’s complex bureaucracy and ensure continental initiatives actually break ground.

She described the office as a strategic commitment to accompany the DRC in translating ambition into implementation. “Agenda 2063 is not implemented in conference rooms,” she said. “It is implemented through projects, institutions, investment, partnerships and delivery.”

Infrastructure and Regional Impact

Ms. Bekele-Thomas pointed to two projects where DRC ambition and continental goals converge. Grand Inga, an Agenda 2063 flagship, has the potential to generate approximately 42,000 megawatts of electricity. This scale of energy production could underpin industrialization and energy security across Africa.

The Kinshasa–Brazzaville Road and Rail Bridge is another focus area. Developed under the Presidential Infrastructure Champion Initiative, it is viewed as a demonstration of how national investment creates regional impact by connecting markets and people. “These projects remind us that vision alone is not enough,” she said. She identified the primary challenges as implementation, preparation, and mobilizing the financing necessary to move from concept to delivery.

The Kinshasa office forms part of AUDA-NEPAD’s country footprint program, which is establishing a physical presence in African member states so that the Agency can work directly with governments rather than at a distance. Through its country offices, AUDA-NEPAD places its core strengths — technical expertise and resource mobilization — at the service of national development plans, with particular depth in industrialization, infrastructure development, digital transformation, human capital, and institutional development.

Governance and Coordination

The AUDA-NEPAD Country Office will operate in accordance with the Statutes of the African Union Development Agency. Under the Host Country Agreement, the Government of the DRC guarantees the Office, its staff, and its structures the institutional freedom and autonomy necessary to carry out its mission.

The Office will work under the political supervision of the Personal Representative of the Head of State. This structure is designed to ensure that AUDA-NEPAD programs are fully aligned with the DRC’s National Development Strategy and Plan, as well as the African Union’s Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan.

It will interface regularly with national ministries, agencies, and public institutions to harmonize efforts and ensure there is no duplication of activities. Additionally, the office will serve as a point of contact for international organizations, donor agencies, and civil society to coordinate development efforts.