“The Promise program is Congo’s bet to develop 50,000 SMEs and boost economic transformation”
The integrated multisectoral program to support entrepreneurship, called “Promise,” was initiated by the authorities of the Republic of Congo, through the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Handicrafts, as part of accelerating progress towards development. On this occasion, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was called upon to provide its expertise in fiduciary management, through an agreement signed in July 2025 for the establishment of a “basket fund” or common financing pool. This program was the subject of a round table organized on the sidelines of the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Annual Meetings, held from May 25 to 29 in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
According to Barry Adama-Dian, UNDP Resident Representative in Congo, Promise is both a societal program and an economic transformation lever focused on youth. “It aims to show how young people can become the foundation of economic transformation, accelerate the fight against unemployment, and strengthen their economic empowerment through highly transformative programs,” she explained.
50,000 SMEs to accelerate economic transformation
The ambition of Promise is to create 50,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by 2030, half of which, 25,000 companies, should be led by female entrepreneurs. “Promise embodies an integrated and holistic vision of development,” emphasized the UNDP representative.
Under this program, the government supports young entrepreneurs at all stages of their journey: from maturing project ideas to formalizing SMEs, accessing financing, coaching, transforming agricultural and livestock products, as well as their certification, labeling, and positioning in the continental market through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Promise aims to be a true ecosystem combining SMEs, handicrafts, entrepreneurship, trade, industrialization, free movement of goods, and integration into the African continental market. The expert also indicated that the program addresses one of the main challenges faced by African entrepreneurs: access to financing. Promise aims, in particular, to support young people in structuring bankable projects and facilitate their negotiations with financial partners.
In this dynamic, UNDP acts as the guarantor of fiduciary management through the agreement signed with the Congolese government in July 2025. This common financing mechanism allows various partners, public, private, or philanthropic, to contribute to the same fund for financing specific activities.
UNDP ensures the traceability of mobilized resources, transparent fund management, and regular accountability. Each partner will have access to detailed narrative reports and concrete evidence of the projects and SMEs supported under the program. “This is about investment, not assistance. Each project has undergone an evaluation of the return on investment. Today, the real risk would be not to invest in the growth and empowerment of SMEs,” concluded Barry Adama-Dian.
