China and the Democratic Republic of Congo have agreed to amend the terms of the biggest Chinese investment deal in Africa, which had been blocking Congo’s access to much-needed debt relief, the International Monetary Fund has said.

The changes to a minerals-for-infrastructure deal initially valued at $9bn should allow Congo to push ahead with a request for debt relief from western donors, said Brian Ames, the IMF’s country chief, at a press conference in Kinshasa, the capital.