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        <full_title>WSEAS TRANSACTIONS ON BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS</full_title>
        <issn media_type="print">1109-9526</issn>
        <issn media_type="electronic">2224-2899</issn>
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        <titles>
          <title>A Neuro-Symbolic Edge Stack for Fragile Economies – Binary Cellular Neural Networks and Auto-Mined ASP Rules for Robust Econometrics in the Democratic Republic of Congo</title>
        </titles>
        <contributors>
          <person_name sequence="first" contributor_role="author">
            <given_name>Henri Kasongo</given_name>
            <surname>Shabani</surname>
            <affiliations>
              <institution>
                <institution_name>Faculté Polytechnique, Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO</institution_name>
              </institution>
            </affiliations>
          </person_name>
          <person_name sequence="additional" contributor_role="author">
            <given_name>Kasra</given_name>
            <surname>Mortazavi</surname>
            <affiliations>
              <institution>
                <institution_name>Institute of Smart Systems Technologies, Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt, Universitätsstraße 65-67, 9020 Klagenfurt, AUSTRIA</institution_name>
              </institution>
            </affiliations>
          </person_name>
          <person_name sequence="additional" contributor_role="author">
            <given_name>Witesyavwirwa Vianney</given_name>
            <surname>Kambale</surname>
            <affiliations>
              <institution>
                <institution_name>Faculty of Information and Communication Technology, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, SOUTH AFRICA</institution_name>
              </institution>
            </affiliations>
          </person_name>
          <person_name sequence="additional" contributor_role="author">
            <given_name>Mahmoud</given_name>
            <surname>Hamed</surname>
            <affiliations>
              <institution>
                <institution_name> Institute of Smart Systems Technologies, Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt, Universitätsstraße 65-67, 9020 Klagenfurt, AUSTRIA </institution_name>
              </institution>
            </affiliations>
          </person_name>
          <person_name sequence="additional" contributor_role="author">
            <given_name>Samuel Matia</given_name>
            <surname>Kangoni</surname>
            <affiliations>
              <institution>
                <institution_name>Faculté Polytechnique, Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO </institution_name>
              </institution>
            </affiliations>
          </person_name>
          <person_name sequence="additional" contributor_role="author">
            <given_name>Kyandoghere</given_name>
            <surname>Kyamakya</surname>
            <affiliations>
              <institution>
                <institution_name>Faculté Polytechnique, Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO </institution_name>
              </institution>
            </affiliations>
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          <jats:p>Forecasting macro- and microeconomic trends is especially difficult in data-scarce settings such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Standard deep learning models, LSTMs, temporal CNNs, and Transformers typically require clean, synchronized time-series data and extensive GPU training. Yet, they offer limited transparency to central bank analysts and policymakers. We propose dCNN-E(ASP), a fully analytical neuro-symbolic framework that combines a binary Cellular Neural Network reservoir with a self-growing Answer Set Programming rulebook. Training requires only two closed-form matrix inversions, enabling realtime inference on a $30 Raspberry Pi and robustness to missing or noisy data. Across three Congolese applications, headline inflation, hydropower grid balancing, and cross-border copper flows retrospective backtests achieve 12–20% lower MAPE than tuned benchmarks. The method also provides clause-level explanations (e.g., a fuel-price shock within 14 days triggers a maize-price surge) and includes tutorial prose and pseudocode for easy local replication without GPUs.</jats:p>
        </jats:abstract>
        <publication_date media_type="print">
          <month>04</month>
          <day>22</day>
          <year>2026</year>
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          <month>04</month>
          <day>22</day>
          <year>2026</year>
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        <pages>
          <first_page>255</first_page>
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          <item_number item_number_type="article_number">20</item_number>
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