Judith Suminwa appointed first female prime minister of DRC

Felix Tshisekedi, president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has appointed Judith Suminwa as the nation’s first female prime minister.

Tshisekedi announced the appointment on Monday after weeks of uncertainty that followed his victory at the polls in December last year.

Suminwa who succeeds Jean-Michel Lukonde, said she is aware of the task before her but assured that “we will work for peace and the development of the country”.

Despite the rapid expansion of Congo’s economy, driven by the flourishing copper industry, the nation grapples with escalating conflicts in some of its regions, alongside the mismanagement of its substantial mineral wealth. 

Before her appointment as prime minister, Suminwa was minister of state for planning.

She also served as the deputy coordinator at the presidential strategic monitoring council (CPVS), where she oversaw the implementation of the president’s commitments.

The politician also had a run as a specialist and coordinator of the peace and democracy consolidation pillar at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where she focused on project management, governance, budget processes, and change management. 

Before her UNDP role, she served as a senior advisor at the ministry of budget, where she coordinated the change management unit and oversaw the implementation of budgetary and public administration reforms.