República Democrática do Congo: Investir na República Democrática do Congo
According to UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2023, FDI into the Democratic Republic of the Congo remained stable at USD 1.8 billion in 2022, primarily driven by investments in offshore oil fields and mining. Notably, Ivanhoe Mines (Canada) is set to bolster its Kamoa-Kakula copper mining complex with a USD 2.9 billion expansion. At the end of the same period, the FDI stock was estimated at USD 31 billion, around 49.3% of the country’s GDP. To date, the mining sector is the one that attracts most FDI, followed by telecommunications. Investments in the mining sector received a boost in FDI as cobalt prices surged due to heightened demand for its application in smartphones and electric car batteries. The DRC, being the world's foremost cobalt producer and Africa's leading copper miner, benefited from these inflows. South Africa, Belgium and China are the country’s main investors.
The country benefits from a large domestic market and is strategically located in the centre of the African continent, being also a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). The Democratic Republic of Congo has rich hydroelectric and mining resources (such as diamonds, copper, cobalt, gold and uranium), which have remained largely untapped. In order to attract FDIs, the government of the DRC provides incentives which are generally negotiated with foreign investors. However, the business climate is especially poor, and foreign investors are facing a number of challenges (corruption, lengthy administrative procedures and administrative fees) in establishing their businesses in the DRC. While there laws protecting investors in the country, the court system is often slow, so disputes can extend for years. In 2018, the mining code was amended, increasing taxes and royalties, requiring that at least 10% of the capital of mining companies be owned by indigenous citizens, and severely restricting the export of unprocessed minerals under new mining permit. In addition, the humanitarian and conflict situation in the east of the country and the stormy relations with neighbouring countries (Rwanda, Uganda and Angola) are factors which contribute to persistent insecurity in the country. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), legislation reserves small-scale commerce and retail trade exclusively for Congolese nationals. Additionally, there exists a 49 percent foreign ownership limit for agribusinesses, which acts as a constraint on agricultural investment. The telecommunications sector, under the new law enacted in 2022, mandates a 25 percent national ownership requirement. Subcontracting is restricted to companies "promoted" by Congolese nationals and headquartered in the DRC. According to Law No. 2017-01 of February 8, 2017, which outlines subcontracting regulations in the private sector, subcontracting companies must have a majority of their share capital held by Congolese nationals or entities under Congolese law. Moreover, the management teams must be predominantly composed of nationals, and the workforce must primarily consist of nationals as well. The DRC does not have a dedicated organization for screening inbound investments. Instead, this role is informally fulfilled by the Presidency and various ministries. The country ranks 162nd among the 180 economies on the Corruption Perception Index 2023 and 160th out of 184 on the latest Index of Economic Freedom.
Foreign Direct Investment | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
FDI Inward Flow (million USD) | 1,647 | 1,870 | 1,846 |
FDI Stock (million USD) | 27,279 | 29,149 | 30,995 |
Number of Greenfield Investments* | 12 | 4 | 6 |
Value of Greenfield Investments (million USD) | 1,172 | 197 | 3,309 |
Source: UNCTAD, Latest available data
Note: * Greenfield Investments are a form of Foreign Direct Investment where a parent company starts a new venture in a foreign country by constructing new operational facilities from the ground up.
Country Comparison For the Protection of Investors | Democratic Republic of Congo | Sub-Saharan Africa | Estados Unidos | Alemanha |
Index of Transaction Transparency* | 7.0 | 5.5 | 7.0 | 5.0 |
Index of Manager’s Responsibility** | 1.0 | 3.5 | 9.0 | 5.0 |
Index of Shareholders’ Power*** | 3.0 | 5.5 | 9.0 | 5.0 |
Source: Doing Business, Latest available data
Note: *The Greater the Index, the More Transparent the Conditions of Transactions. **The Greater the Index, the More the Manager is Personally Responsible. *** The Greater the Index, the Easier it Will Be For Shareholders to Take Legal Action.
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