International partnership to develop DRC port
British International Investment (BII) has committed up to USD 35 million towards the development of the port of Banana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s first deepwater container port, in partnership with DP World. This investment is expected to create 85,000 jobs and boost annual trade by USD 1.12 billion, enhancing the DRC's access to global markets.
The port will become the country's main maritime gateway and is expected to reduce trade costs by 12% and thus support economic growth, particularly in the agriculture and infrastructure sectors.
The project also aligns with broader efforts to modernise African ports, aimed at increasing economic output by USD 429 million annually. It is part of a larger initiative to develop ports in Africa to further strengthen the region's trade capabilities and promote sustainable development. (pb)