Congo to benefit from China-proposed BRI: minister

BRAZZAVILLE, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Countries around the world, including the Republic of the Congo, are expected to benefit from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), said Congolese Minister of Economy and Finance Jean-Baptiste Ondaye.

He made the remarks in front of reporters after a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new branch of the Sino-Congolese Bank for Africa here in Brazzaville, the Congolese capital, on Friday.

The BRI has "significant prospects for growth and inclusion," he said.

"As you know, African countries suffer from an infrastructure deficit, and this initiative should help reduce the infrastructure divide," the minister added.

Ondaye said the bank reflects the long-standing fraternity, friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

The bank has played a crucial role in Congo's economic development and the digitalization of banking services like its ATM network. Ondaye said support from the bank has increased despite various shocks to the world economy.

In June 2014, the Agricultural Bank of China signed an agreement with the Congolese side to establish the bank, which entered into service in 2015.