DRC and Zambia Reach Agreement to Reopen Kasumbalesa Border and Facilitate Trade

【The Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia Agree to Reopen the Kasumbalesa Border】

In July this year, the DRC's Ministry of Foreign Trade announced a one-year suspension on the import of products such as beverages and beer to protect the local economy and jobs. This move subsequently triggered protests by transporters in the border region between Congo and Zambia. According to a Bloomberg report on August 11, the Zambian government announced over the weekend that it had temporarily closed its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, a measure that could delay exports from Africa's largest copper producer.

On the evening of August 12, the DRC and Zambia agreed to reopen the border post recently closed by Zambia during a bilateral ministerial meeting held in Lubumbashi, the capital of Haut-Katanga province in southeastern DRC. Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo ultimately agreed to reopen their shared border at Kasumbalesa.

Both parties not only agreed to reopen the border but also to facilitate the free movement of goods. According to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the foreign trade ministers of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia established a joint committee to manage safeguard measures. The meeting also agreed to grant a 30-day special exemption to facilitate the transition, allowing relevant parties to adapt to the new regulations.