| Summary: | This is the first Article IV mission to DRC since June 2015. The inauguration of President Tshisekedi in January 2019 marks the first peaceful transfer of power since independence. He has pledged to improve governance and scale up public investment. Challenges abound. Poverty and unemployment are widespread. Violent conflict persists in some regions, and the worst ever outbreak of the deadly Ebola disease is ongoing. Dependence on mineral exports leaves DRC vulnerable to commodity shocks. Tackling corruption and improving governance are imperative. The main risks include an escalation of the Ebola epidemic; fiscal loosening leading to monetization of budget deficits; a relapse in copper and cobalt prices; an intensification of ongoing armed conflicts; and resistance to reform from vested interests
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