UK–DRC Economic Forum: the government is relying on a range of institutional measures to reverse a 21.2 per cent decline in trade
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is launching an economic initiative in London, UK, with an expanded government delegation, as part of the UK–DRC Economic Forum, taking place from 2 to 4 November 2026.
The aim is to attract more British investment and strengthen trade relations between the two economies, where trade remains limited despite the opportunities available.
According to official sources, three ministers are taking part in this meeting: Julien Paluku, Minister for Foreign Trade; Patrick Muyaya, Minister for Communication and Media; and Jean-Lucien Bussa, Minister for Regional Planning, who are also expected in London.
The delegation also includes Hervé-Claude Ntumba, Director-General of the Industry Promotion Fund (FPI).
The Governor of Kinshasa, Daniel Bumba, his Provincial Minister, Jésus-Noël Sheke, and officials from the Regulatory Authority for Subcontracting in the Private Sector (ARSP).
This institutional delegation aims to present investment opportunities in Congo’s productive sectors to British partners.
Discussions will focus in particular on critical minerals, industrial value chains, financing for industrialisation, infrastructure and renewable energy.
According to the organisers, 90 British companies and investors have expressed an interest in this event, at the conclusion of which a London Declaration is expected to be announced.
This initiative, however, comes against a rather bleak trade backdrop for Kinshasa.
According to UK statistics published in July 2026, bilateral trade in goods and services between the two countries totalled 145 million pounds sterling over the twelve months ending in March 2026, down by 21.2 per cent.
Of this total, British exports to the DRC accounted for 105 million pounds, compared with just 40 million pounds in imports from the Congo.
The UK thus recorded a trade surplus of 65 million pounds, reflecting an economic relationship that remains unbalanced.
This imbalance persists despite the DRC benefiting from the UK’s preferential trade regime, which allows 99.8 per cent of eligible product categories to access the UK market duty-free.
According to international trade experts, narrowing this gap requires strengthening local processing, production capacity, logistics infrastructure and product compliance with British standards.
With this in mind, they believe that the London Forum presents an opportunity to convert existing trade advantages into export contracts and industrial investment, rather than merely institutional commitments.
