Judith Suminwa Tuluka (born 19 October 1967) is a Congolese politician who is serving as prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 12 June 2024. She was nominated for the position by President Félix Tshisekedi on 1 April 2024, the first woman in the post, and took office following the investiture of her

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...

by the

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Early life and education

Suminwa hails from Kimpese in Kongo Central. Her father was formerly the

Zaire Zaire, officially the Republic of Zaire, was the name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 18 May 1997. Located in Central Africa, it was, by area, the third-largest country in Africa after Sudan and Algeria, and the 11th-la ...

an ambassador to

Chad Chad, officially the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North Africa, North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to Chad–Libya border, the north, Sudan to Chad–Sudan border, the east, the Central Afric ...

. Suminwa obtained a master's degree in applied economics at the

Université libre de Bruxelles The (French language, French, ; lit. Free University of Brussels; abbreviated ULB) is a French-speaking research university in Brussels, Belgium. It has three campuses: the ''Solbosch'' campus (in the City of Brussels and Ixelles), the ''Plain ...

and a diploma of additional studies in Work in developing countries.

Career

She worked in the banking sector before joining

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agencies including the

United Nations Development Programme The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human development. The UNDP emphasizes on developing local capacity towar ...

where she was a national expert in a community support project in the east of the country. She then worked in the Ministry of the Budget before becoming the deputy coordinator of the Presidential Strategic Watch Council (CPVS). She was appointed Minister of Planning in the government of Prime Minister Sama Lukonde on 24 March 2023. Suminwa's cabinet was formally unveiled on 29 May 2024.

Personal life

Suminwa is married to Roger Tuluka, who is a former classmate of President Tshisekedi. The couple began their relationship while they were in

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

during the 1990s.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Suminwa, Judith 1967 births Living people Prime ministers of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Free University of Brussels (1834–1969) alumni 21st-century Democratic Republic of the Congo politicians Women prime ministers in Africa Women government ministers of the Democratic Republic of the Congo First women prime ministers