101ST MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS ON 23 OCTOBER 2026: MATTERS RELATING TO THE FOREIGN TRADE SECTOR
The government’s strategy for monitoring, securing and managing the DRC’s import and export flows transiting through the Port of Dar es Salaam, adopted by the Council, together with a jointly agreed roadmap
Following the instruction given by the President of the Republic at the 97th meeting of the Council of Ministers, the Minister for Foreign Trade presented to the Council, for consideration and approval, the government’s strategy to capture, secure and manage the import and export flows of the Democratic Republic of the Congo transiting through the Port of Dar es Salaam and other infrastructure along the central corridor.
This strategic approach, he stated, is essential for opening up and supplying the eastern and south-eastern regions of the DRC. The port of Dar es Salaam is, in fact, a crucial route through which a considerable volume of Congolese freight passes, estimated at over 7.7 million tonnes annually; hence the importance for the DRC of adopting an integrated approach to effectively manage, track and secure these flows, which will optimise the mobilisation of public revenue and strengthen the competitiveness of its operators.
To safeguard the State’s interests, a coordinated government roadmap has been drawn up. The sector-specific responsibilities to be undertaken by each of the seven ministries prior to the signing of the bilateral trade agreement – scheduled to take place within a maximum of 90 days – have been set out. In particular, this roadmap enables the gradual implementation, in collaboration with Tanzania, of an integrated electronic traceability system for freight travelling from Dar es Salaam to the Congolese borders.
This system will enable the electronic sharing of manifests, the unique identification of cargo, the tracking of contents and the detection of anomalies, thereby strengthening control and optimising revenue. At the same time, the strategic operation of the Kuala dry port will be accelerated in order to consolidate Congolese control of the central corridor, in particular through operations to consolidate and secure goods.
A series of strategic recommendations has been put forward to the government to significantly strengthen the institutional presence – notably that of the DGDA, OGEFREM, CEEC and LMC – and the DRC’s controls over its trade flows, ensuring better management and maximising benefits for the country.
Following debate and deliberation, this proposal was adopted.
