The DRC is taking part in the AfCFTA regional conference in Brazzaville
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) took part on Wednesday in the opening of the regional conference on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Brazzaville, in the Republic of the Congo, represented by its Minister for Foreign Trade, according to a press release received by the ACP.
“Empowering women and young people by strengthening their active and sustainable participation in trade across the African continent, promoting ‘Made in Central Africa’ products and creating business synergies: these are the main objectives of the Regional Conference on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which began on Wednesday 21 October 2026 in Brazzaville, in the presence of Central African trade ministers, the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA, Wamkele Mene, representatives of women and young entrepreneurs, as well as technical and financial partners,” stated the press release from the Ministry of Foreign Trade.
Organised under the theme ‘Unleashing the economic potential of Central African women to accelerate the implementation of AfCFTA’, this meeting aims to boost intra-African trade with a particular focus on access to finance.
The source reports that during the ministerial dialogue, Julien Paluku, Minister for Foreign Trade, emphasised, on behalf of the DRC, the need to establish a regional roadmap with specific indicators and targets, as well as the modernisation of infrastructure to facilitate trade, particularly border posts, which must operate 24 hours a day.
“Kicking off these proceedings on behalf of the President of the Republic of the Congo, Denis Sassou N’Guesso, the Deputy Prime Minister responsible for the Coordination of Development Infrastructure and Spatial Planning, Jean-Jacques Bouya, called on women and young entrepreneurs to submit bankable projects, whilst urging banking institutions to relax their lending conditions,” added the source.
The partners, for their part, reiterated their commitment to supporting the effective implementation of the AfCFTA.
An exhibition and sale was the second highlight of this conference, which is scheduled to last three days.
