Prime Minister Judith Suminwa presented the finance bill on 18 November, stressing that the state remains “firmly determined” to recover all territory seized by armed groups. The proposal arrives as Kinshasa expands military operations despite ongoing peace talks with AFC-M23.

Authorities say the security push is embedded in a broader program running through 2028, aimed at overhauling training, specialization and infrastructure for both troops and instructors.

Defense Share Rises To Record Level

The government set the 2026 defense-and-security allocation at 30%, the highest to date, arguing that better equipment, logistics and troop support are essential as instability persists in the east.

Officials said the sector had already consumed 13.12% of the 2025 budget, a 25% increase from 2024, but overruns were inevitable due to exceptional war-related spending.

Budget Expansion and IMF Backing

Kinshasa insists the heavier security burden will not weaken other portfolios because the 2026 general budget is projected to expand by nearly 16%.

Authorities cited 2025 performance to justify the claim: exceptional security costs were partly offset by reductions in state operating expenses and stronger revenue collection, a position confirmed by the IMF.

Investment Plans Under Pressure

Investment spending is set to represent 36% of the general budget. Yet execution remains the main challenge: 2025 investment targets fell from about 22,000 billion to 14,000 billion Congolese francs, a drop of roughly 35%, even as institutional operating costs continued to climb.

The government warns that maintaining investment levels alongside heightened security demands will depend on strict budget discipline.