President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo has envisioned a future where agriculture plays a pivotal role in shifting the country away from its heavy reliance on oil and toward a more diversified economy.
In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) in early September, Nguesso expressed immense pride in the completion of the No. 1 National Highway, a vital road in the Republic of Congo, emphasizing that it stands as a testament to the close collaboration between Congo and China, rooted in the vision of the Belt and Road Initiative.
"Indeed. I'm glad that you visited this big project. The construction of this road faced unprecedented challenges. Back in colonial times, we would never have been able to complete such a project. Today, as a result of close cooperation between the Republic of Congo and China, we are very proud to have built this road. All of this is based on the blueprint of the Belt and Road Initiative," he said,
When talking about the economic landscape of the Republic of Congo, where oil remains a cornerstone industry, he outlined a plan to develop agriculture by harnessing the untapped potential of the country's abundant arable land, water resources, and sunlight.
"I want to say that the Republic of Congo should not rely solely on oil in the future. It has more potential than that. We have more than 10 million hectares of arable land, and less than one-tenth has been developed. We have abundant water resources and abundant sunshine all year round. Thus, we place agriculture at a strategic level as a top priority of the development plan from 2022 to 2026. It covers various fields, such as fishery”, the President said.
He emphasized the importance of developing an agricultural system resilient to climate change, referencing his in-depth discussion with President Xi Jinping on reducing reliance on natural rainfall through the promotion of irrigation systems.
"I had an in-depth discussion with President Xi on how to build an agricultural system that does not rely merely on natural rainfall in this country, which has fertile land, rich water resources, and constant sunshine. Given the challenges posed by climate change, agriculture should not rely on irregular rainfall, even though water resources are abundant. For this reason, we are promoting a key agricultural development project focused on constructing irrigation systems," he said.
In early September, Nguesso visited Beijing for an official state visit to China and to attend the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
Republic of Congo should prioritize agriculture to shift from oil dependency: president
