In a major step towards deepening regional economic integration, the Uganda Embassy in Kinshasa, in partnership with both public and private sector stakeholders from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has launched the Uganda–DRC Business Connect Forum and Expo in Butembo, Eastern DRC.
The event, held under the theme “Strengthening Business Linkages for Socio-Economic Transformation,” seeks to create strong commercial networks and partnerships between Ugandan and Congolese businesses, aimed at stimulating mutual growth in trade and investment.
Senior government officials and business leaders from both countries are in attendance to explore opportunities for collaboration, address existing trade barriers, and jointly develop solutions for a sustainable and enabling business environment.
The DRC government is represented by H.E. Julien Paluku, Minister of External Trade, Evariste Somo Kakule, Governor of North Kivu Province, and Sylvain Kanyamanda Mbusa, Mayor of Butembo City.
The Ugandan delegation includes Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, Minister of State for Trade, Amb. Alhajji Farid M. Kaliisa, Uganda’s Ambassador to Kinshasa, senior officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, as well as representatives from the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UNCCI), and members of the wider business community.
The accompanying expo has attracted over 50 Ugandan enterprises across diverse sectors, including agro-products, poultry and dairy, agro-farm inputs, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, fashion, and construction materials.
Exhibitors engaged with members of the Congolese business community from major commercial hubs such as Beni, Butembo, Kisangani, Goma, and Bukavu.
Speaking during the forum, Ambassador Farid M. Kaliisa highlighted Uganda’s strategic geographic position as a natural trade gateway into eastern DRC, while emphasizing the need to deepen commercial cooperation between the two countries.
He noted that initiatives like the Business Forum are essential for unlocking shared economic potential and empowering the private sector to drive regional transformation.
The Forum and Expo are supported by the European Union and TradeMark Africa (TMA) under the Peaceful and Resilient Borderlands Program, which aims to turn cross-border trade into a tool for peacebuilding, regional integration, and economic development.
The program promotes free movement of goods and people while empowering small-scale and informal traders.
As part of wider efforts to improve infrastructure and reduce the cost of doing business, Uganda and the DRC are jointly implementing several major road construction projects.
These include the Mpondwe/Kasindi–Beni Road (80km), the Beni–Butembo Road (54km), and the Bunagana–Rutshuru–Goma Road (89km).
These vital transport corridors are already enhancing access to markets for Ugandan products, with further economic benefits expected upon their completion.
Trade statistics reflect the growing economic relationship between the two nations. According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), Uganda’s exports to the DRC have risen from US$432.4 million in 2016/17 to US$981.5 million in the 2024/25 financial year.
Similarly, DRC’s exports to Uganda have increased significantly from US$23 billion in 2020 to US$59.8 billion in 2024.
This upward trend is attributed to improved security, ongoing infrastructure projects, and the DRC’s entry into the East African Community (EAC), which has opened up new trade and investment opportunities.
Ambassador Kaliisa expressed optimism that, with continued cooperation and investment in trade facilitation, Uganda’s exports to the DRC could surpass US$2 billion in the near future.
At the opening of the Forum, both Ugandan and Congolese leaders emphasized the critical role of peace and stability in fostering economic growth.
They called for the removal of non-tariff barriers that hinder cross-border trade, including burdensome administrative procedures and discriminatory taxation practices.
They reiterated their commitment to ensuring a transparent, predictable, and secure trade environment to support sustainable development for both countries.
