World Bank VP for Africa heads to DR Congo

Mr Makhtar Diop, the World Bank’s vice president for Africa, will arrive in Congo Brazzaville Monday, May 20, 2013 for a two-day working visit.

He will meet with the Congolese President, Denis Sassou Nguesso, senior government officials, civil society groups and the media, a press release issued May 16, 2013 said.

Mr Diop is expected to discuss the development challenges facing the Republic of Congo and see first-hand how the World Bank can step up its development assistance to better help poor and vulnerable families in the country escape poverty and pursue lives with better health, education and more opportunities.

According to the release, Congo’s economic growth rate is one of the strongest in Africa, yet poverty reduction has been slow over the last five years.

“Many Congolese live in poverty, and unemployment and inequality remain significantly high. The Bank is working with the Republic of Congo on how to use its large oil revenues to stimulate broad-based non-oil growth that would generate employment and reduce poverty,” said the release.

The release stated that, “since 1963, the World Bank has been one of the Republic of Congo’s leading development partners".