AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY
Accounting for 42.5 percent of the DRC’s gross domestic product, agriculture provides a promising foundation for establishing food security and sustainable economic development. We support increased agricultural production and provide loans to Congolese enterprises. We also invest in key aspects of the economy—agriculture, minerals, and energy—to promote inclusive economic growth that reduces poverty and enhances food security.
DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND GOVERNANCE
Our programs improve good governance, expand the rule of law, and support decentralization by strengthening national and local-level government institutions and civil society. We support public financial management to ensure local governments can transparently manage their funds to improve public services, increase access to effective and equitable justice, protect the human rights of Indigenous People, counter trafficking in persons, fight corruption, strengthen independent media by supporting community radio and journalists, promote civic participation, enhance political competition and build the legislature’s capacity to function effectively in consultation with stakeholders.
EDUCATION
We contribute to the education of millions of Congolese youth, including students from marginalized and vulnerable populations. We enhance teacher training; provide teaching and learning materials; strengthen schools’ management capacity; and engage communities, schools, and private sector actors to improve teaching and rehabilitate and equip schools. Our work develops the youth workforce, builds resilience to conflict, and prevents and combats sexual and gender-based violence.
ENVIRONMENT
USAID works to maintain the ecological integrity of the humid forest ecosystem of the Congo Basin by strengthening forest management in priority carbon-rich, biologically sensitive, and diverse landscapes across Central Africa, including in the DRC. We also promote environmental policy reform and forest ecosystems monitoring. We currently focus on managing protected areas, empowering communities, engaging private sector actors, and strengthening policy and capacity.
GLOBAL HEALTH
As DRC’s largest bilateral health donor, we support health institutions and communities to increase the availability of, demand for, and access to low-cost, high-impact primary health care, particularly for women and children. We support the DRC to prepare for and respond to evolving Global Health Security issues, such as Ebola and COVID-19. We also continue to support life-saving prevention and care services for malaria, TB, and HIV/AIDS. Our health program is critical to strengthening the DRC’s fragile health system.
WORKING IN CRISIS AND CONFLICT
We build foundations for durable peace in eastern DRC by supporting community-led efforts to manage, mitigate, and prevent conflict. We counter armed groups that prey on civilians and provide holistic services to survivors of gender-based violence. We work across sectors to ensure that all USAID investments remain sensitive to complex conflict dynamics, advance peace processes and Do No Harm. In critical times, we provide shelter; food aid; logistics and emergency relief commodities; primary health care; nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene services and social protection; and help the economy and market recover.