In an effort to address food self-sufficiency issues, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) plans to support the National Office of Fisheries and Aquaculture (ONPA) to strengthen its operational capacities.
This decision was made during the 28th Council of Ministers meeting held on Friday, December 27, 2024, in Mbuji-Mayi.
According to President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, ONPA must fully fulfill its role. To ensure this, the Minister of Budget and the Minister of Finance were tasked with taking the necessary measures to achieve ONPA’s assigned objectives.
Established by Decree No. 22/22 on June 6, 2022, ONPA’s primary goal is to increase fishery and aquaculture production while promoting the associated value chain.
During the Council of Ministers, the President emphasized that ONPA has been staffed with managers since 2023 to carry out its missions, which include organizing the supply of inputs, materials, and equipment for fishing and aquaculture.
The public institution is also responsible for organizing the collection and distribution of fishery and aquaculture products nationwide, establishing fishing and aquaculture infrastructure, improving product processing and conservation, and facilitating the commercialization and market access of these products.
Given its mission, President Tshisekedi highlighted that ONPA is a strategic player in ensuring the country’s food security. Its deployment should therefore act as a lever to improve purchasing power, create jobs, and diversify the economy.
“To enhance efficiency, ensure coherence, and avoid overlapping actions, the President of the Republic urged the Minister of Fisheries and Livestock to consider concrete measures to support ONPA, particularly in managing fishing boats ordered by the Government, which are due for imminent delivery,” stated the Council of Ministers’ report.
Pending its full operationalization under the supervision of the Prime Minister, Félix Tshisekedi instructed the State Minister of Budget and the Minister of Finance to take all necessary steps to allocate the public institution the required resources promptly, ensuring its administrative and financial autonomy.
