This study analyzes the influence of public external debt on economic growth in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the period 1980–2023. It aims to assess the effect of external debt, identify a potential long-run relationship, and examine whether this relationship is nonlinear. The study uses annual macroeconomic data obtained mainly from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The methodology relies on the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF), Phillips-Perron, and KPSS stationarity tests, as well as the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach and the Pesaran, Shin, and Smith bounds cointegration test. An Error Correction Model (ECM), causality analysis, and a quadratic specification further complement the econometric analysis. The bounds test reports an F-statistic of 6.84, which exceeds the I(1) critical bound of 4.38 at the 5% significance level, suggesting the existence of a long-run relationship among the variables. The literature on the DRC indicates that moderate levels of external debt may support investment and economic growth, whereas excessive indebtedness may have adverse effects. Previous studies have identified debt thresholds of 22.5% and 17.16% of GDP, depending on the period and methodology employed. The effect of external debt therefore depends on its level, debt-service burden, productive use, financing conditions, and repayment capacity. The study recommends prudent and transparent external debt management, with borrowing primarily directed toward productive investment and the sustainability of public finances.

Déborah NDELELA KABALA, Danny MULIONGO KINKALA, Emmanuel MUKENDI ILUNGA, Gérard TUIPATSHILE MPINDA, Yvonne MWANZA FIKA, "Influence De La Dette Extérieure Publique Sur La Croissance Économique En République Démocratique Du Congo" International Journal of Scientific Research and Engineering Development, V9(5): Page(779-786) September - October 2026. ISSN: 2581-7175. www.ijsred.com. Published by Scientific and Academic Research Publishing.