Kinshasa Financial Center

The Kinshasa Financial Center (French: Centre Financier de Kinshasa) is a financial hub strategically located in the Gombe commune of Kinshasa, in the western region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[2][3] Covering a total area of 41,000 square meters, it is the largest financial center in the DRC.[4] The center houses key institutions such as the Ministries of Finance and Budget, the General Directorates, the General Inspectorate of Finance, the General Secretariat of Finance, and the Development Bank.[5] It is administered by the state-owned Investment Fund commercial entity, which supervises real estate assets like the financial and convention centers.[6]

Kinshasa Financial Center
French: Centre Financier de Kinshasa
General information
Architectural styleModern
LocationGombe
Town or cityKinshasa
CountryDemocratic Republic of the Congo
Construction startedFebruary 2022; 2 years ago (2022-02)
CompletedDecember 19, 2023; 12 months ago (2023-12-19)
InauguratedDecember 19, 2023; 12 months ago (2023-12-19)
Cost$290 million
Technical details
Floor area41,000 m2 (440,000 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architect(s)Tabanlıoğlu Architects[1]
Other information
Parking1,100

The center was commissioned by President Félix Tshisekedi in February 2022[7][5] and was officially inaugurated on December 19, 2023.[8][9][10][11] It was constructed by the Turkish company Milvest, a subsidiary of Miller Holding.[12][4]

History

edit

Construction

edit

In February 2022, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited the DRC as a part of Turkey–DRC bilateral relationship. During his visit, Erdogan signed several deals on security, defense, and infrastructure with the country.[5] A conspicuous facet of these accords involved the participation of the Turkish construction firm Milvest, which the DRC pre-financed $290 million for constructing the Kinshasa Financial Center.[4][13][2] The construction commenced in June 2022 in the Gombe commune near a Turkish English International School, with an additional investment of $60 million for an affiliated hotel, which will be transferred to the DRC after a 49-year Turkish tenure.[4][7][14] The project employed around 3,000 workers, including 1,800 Congolese and 1,200 Turkish workers.[13]

The center was initially envisioned to span 18 months, featuring a skyline with twin towers of more than fifteen levels opposite the Courthouse.[2][4] The first 20-story twin tower houses the Ministries of Finance at 107 meters, while the second 16-story twin tower accommodates the Ministries of Budget at a height of 90 meters.[4] Parenthetically, the structures include a 16-story Finance Center at 78 meters, a 5-story government edifice, a 5-story Ministry of Technology tax office and data center, a 13-story, 66-meter 5-star hotel, and two office buildings with a helipad.[4] The architectural plan also incorporates catering and retail spaces, two ultra-modern auditoriums within the Kinshasa Congress Center, boasting a capacity for 3,000 attendees across 3,500 square meters, as well as green spaces, a swimming pool, a water feature, and two parking facilities capable of accommodating 1,100 vehicles.[4]

Unveiling

edit

On December 19, 2023, amid the general election, the Kinshasa Financial Center was unveiled alongside other buildings at Université Pédagogique Nationale and Kinshasa General Hospital. During the inauguration ceremony, an underground parking lot was introduced to the public.[8][9][10][11]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Le centre financier de Kinshasa sera inauguré le 2 décembre". 7sur7.cd (in French). 15 September 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Le Centre financier de Kinshasa sera inauguré le 2 décembre (Constructeur)" [The Kinshasa Financial Center will be inaugurated on December 2 (Constructor)]. Radio Okapi (in French). 2023-09-16. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  3. ^ Massala, Rodrigue Fénélon (2022-11-11). "RDC: Félix Tshisekedi visite le chantier de la future place financière de Kinshasa". Financial Afrik (in French). Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Fula, Nadine (2022-11-09). "RDC : Félix Tshisekedi inspecte les travaux de construction du Centre financier de Kinshasa" [DRC: Félix Tshisekedi inspects the construction work of the Kinshasa Financial Center]. Zoom-eco.net (in French). Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  5. ^ a b c "Centre financier de Kinshasa : Nicolas Kazadi pose la première pierre" [Kinshasa financial center: Nicolas Kazadi lays the first stone]. Kt.cd (in French). 2022-02-21. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  6. ^ "La gestion du centre financier de Kinshasa sera confiée au fonds d'investissement stratégique, une nouvelle société commerciale du portefeuille de l'état" [Management of the financial center of Kinshasa will be entrusted to the strategic investment fund, a new commercial company in the state portfolio]. Radio Okapi (in French). 2023-11-13. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  7. ^ a b Caldero, Rocco (2023-10-20). "DR Congo's Financial Center: A Turkish Triumph". The Rio Times. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  8. ^ a b "Félix Tshisekedi inaugure les nouveaux bâtiments de l'hôpital général de Kinshasa et du Centre financier de Kinshasa" [Félix Tshisekedi inaugurates the new buildings of the Kinshasa General Hospital and the Kinshasa Financial Center]. Radio Okapi (in French). 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  9. ^ a b Mpoyi, Israel (December 19, 2023). "RDC: Félix Tshisekedi inaugure le centre financier à Kinshasa" [DRC: Félix Tshisekedi inaugurates the financial center in Kinshasa]. election-net.com. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  10. ^ a b Kankolongo, Delphin (2023-12-20). "Inauguration du Centre Financier de Kinshasa : Un Jalon Majeur dans la Coopération entre la RDC et la Turquie" [Inauguration of the Kinshasa Financial Center: A Major Milestone in Cooperation between the DRC and Turkey]. Perfection243 (in French). Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  11. ^ a b Diaka, Dieumerci (2023-12-19). "Kinshasa : inauguration de l'UPN, ex-Mama Yemo et Centre financier par Tshisekedi" [Kinshasa: inauguration of the UPN, ex-Mama Yemo and Financial Center by Tshisekedi]. Infos.CD (in French). Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  12. ^ "DRC: Turkish builders "faster than the Chinese"". Africanews. 2023-10-19. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  13. ^ a b Bomboka, Patrick (2023-09-15). "RDC : le Centre financier de Kinshasa sera inauguré le 2 décembre 2023, annonce le patron de Milvest Turhan Mildon" [DRC: the Kinshasa Financial Center will be inaugurated on December 2, 2023, announces the boss of Milvest Turhan Mildon]. Zoom-eco.net (in French). Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  14. ^ Sabah, Daily (2023-12-21). "Turkish firm builds giant convention-financial center in DR Congo". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 2023-12-22.