ASSESSMENT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP POLICIES AND YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT: THE CASE STUDY OF GOMA CITY, DR CONGO

Youth development and empowerment are crucial for building the human capital necessary to reduce poverty, enhance livelihoods, and promote long-term national growth. The skills and capacities acquired during the youth shape future productivity, making their preparation essential for sustainable economic development. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, and particularly in Goma City, high youth unemployment remains a pressing challenge despite the presence of entrepreneurship initiatives. This study aims to assess existing entrepreneurship policies targeting young entrepreneurs, evaluate their impact on youth unemployment, and identify strategies to strengthen youth entrepreneurship mindsets. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining document analysis over policy frameworks, interviews with policymakers and entrepreneurship incubator managers, and surveys among young entrepreneurs in Goma. The findings reveal that while multiple stakeholders and enterprise incubators aiming to support youth entrepreneurship do exist, awareness among potential beneficiaries is low; and access to services remains limited. Furthermore, young business owners face significant constraints, with high taxation regardless their annual income, emerging as a major barrier to business sustainability. The results highlight the need for improved policy publication, specified capacity-building programs, and a more supportive fiscal environment to enable youth entrepreneurship to flourish in Goma.