The DRC 2023 draft budget amounted to 14.6 billion USD
The Sama Lukonde Government is betting on tabling the 2023 Draft Budget on September 15, 2022 in parliament, in accordance with the instructions of the Head of State Félix Tshisekedi.
“At the latest adjustments, the central government budget for the 2023 financial year is presented in balance, in revenue and expenditure, at 29,511.1 billion FC (14.6 billion USD), i.e. an increase rate of 32.6% compared to the Law for the financial year 2022 amounting to 22,253.0 billion FC”, reveal the documents of the Minister of the Budget submitted to the Council of Ministers.
This draft finance law for the 2023 financial year is based on the following main macroeconomic indicators and aggregates:
– GDP growth rate: 6.7%; – GDP deflator: 9.8%; – Average inflation rate: 8.9%; – Inflation rate at the end of the period: 6.8%; – Average exchange rate: 2,021.9 FC/USD; – Exchange rate at the end of the period: 2,034.8 FC/USD; – Nominal GDP: 151,553.43 billion CF;
The national executive sees 2023 as the year of the big issues. “The Government’s efforts will be focused on the mobilization of internal resources, with a view to continuing the implementation of the public policies set out in its Program of Action, backed by the National Strategic Development Plan 2019-2023 and the Development Program at the base of 145 territories”, inform the documents of the Minister of the budget.
“In terms of resource mobilization, the Government’s action will consist in raising the tax burden, the ideal being to gradually converge towards the level of sub-Saharan Africa, located at 17.6%”.
This requires the dissemination of the tax culture and the continued implementation of the tax and customs reforms initiated as well as the intensification of management control missions.
It should be recalled that in his communication during the 64th meeting of the Council of Ministers, Félix Tshisekedi had recommended that the 2023 budget be significantly focused on the programming of investment expenditure in the basic social sectors, in particular health, education and rural development as well as in the national integration infrastructure sector.
In accordance with article 115 of the constitution, the two chambers of parliament will be in ordinary September session from the 15th. The September session is essentially budgetary. According to the law on public finances, the government will have to table the draft budget for the 2023 financial year during this parliamentary session.
