World Bank signs $500m infrastructure project for Congo's capital

A Congolese man carries his shoes as he wades through floodwaters along a street after the Congo River burst its banks due to heavy rainfall in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Reuters/Kenny Katombe

Kinshasa is the largest French-speaking city in the world with a population of just over 17 million.

Funding for the "Kin Elenda" project will include a credit and grant of $250m each, the World Bank said.

"Kin Elenda will help change the daily lives of the people of Kinshasa through the investments it will make throughout the city," said Jean-Christophe Carret, the World Bank's country director.