The DRC is committed to regional and continental economic integration, leveraging its strategic position through membership in key trade blocs. This framework is designed to lower tariffs, simplify trade rules, and attract foreign investment.

• Global Membership: As a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) since 1997, the DRC is provided with a framework for economic reform and greater integration into the global economy, a benefit it is actively leveraging by recently ratifying the Trade Facilitation Agreement to reduce costs and modernise its customs procedures.
• Continental Integration (AfCFTA): The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a cornerstone of the DRC's policy. Having ratified the agreement, the DRC has validated its national implementation strategy. The focus is now on finalising its tariff reduction offer, which will open access to a market of 1.4 billion people.

Regional Economic Blocs:

• SADC (Southern African Development Community): Provides preferential access to markets in Southern Africa.
• COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa): Offers trade benefits and integration with Eastern and Southern African economies.
• ECCAS (Economic Community of Central African States): Deepens ties with neighbouring Central African nations.

Legal & Business Harmonisation (OHADA): As a member of the Organisation for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa (OHADA), the DRC offers a secure, transparent, and modern legal framework for investors and traders, standardizing commercial, corporate, and accounting laws.

The DRC's trade potential is monumental, with a strategic pivot from exporting raw commodities to developing sophisticated manufacturing and processing capabilities. The goal is to capture more value domestically, creating jobs and fostering industrial growth.

Current Trade Snapshot:

• Primary Exports: Dominated by raw minerals, primarily Copper ($15.1B) and Cobalt ($6.3B).
• Key Imports: Refined Petroleum, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals, and Food Products, highlighting a major opportunity for import substitution and local manufacturing.

Focus on Manufacturing & Value Addition:

1. The Battery Value Chain Revolution:
   • Global Epicentre: The DRC holds over 70% of the world's cobalt reserves and significant lithium deposits.
   • DRC-Zambia Battery Council: A landmark partnership with Zambia to develop an integrated value chain, from mining to producing battery precursors and eventually full EV batteries.
   • Special Economic Zones (SEZs): A transboundary SEZ is under development with Zambia to house manufacturing plants, creating a "battery belt" in the heart of Africa.
2. Harnessing Agricultural Wealth:
   • Untapped Potential: Possesses 80 million hectares of arable land and significant water resources yet imports over $1.5 billion in food annually.
   • Value Addition Focus: Investment is targeted at processing key crops like coffee, palm oil, cocoa, and cassava for export and local consumption, reducing import dependency.
3. Green Energy Manufacturing:
   • Hydropower Powerhouse: With over 100,000 MW of potential hydropower, the DRC can power its industrial ambitions and export clean energy.
   • Manufacturing Hub: This cheap, abundant energy is a key enabler for energy-intensive manufacturing, including green hydrogen production and minerals processing.

Trade Facilitation: Building the Arteries of Commerce. Recognising that potential is unlocked by efficiency, the DRC and its partners are heavily invested in overcoming logistical hurdles and streamlining the movement of goods.

• Infrastructure Transformation - The Lobito Corridor:
  • This strategic rail line is being revitalised with support from the U.S. and the EU.
  • It provides a direct, faster, and more reliable route for minerals from the Katanga province to the Port of Lobito in Angola, bypassing traditional, congested routes.
  • Impact: Reduces transport time by days, lowers logistics costs, and enhances export competitiveness.
• Streamlining Customs & Border Processes:
  • Single Window (GUICE): The Guichet Unique Intégral du Commerce Extérieur acts as a single point of submission for all trade-related documents, aiming to increase transparency and reduce processing times and costs for importers and exporters.
  • Border Modernisation: Ongoing efforts to upgrade key border posts with modern technology and harmonised procedures with neighbouring countries to facilitate smoother cross-border trade.
• Addressing Challenges:
  • Logistics Performance: While improving, the DRC is focused on enhancing its Logistics Performance Index score by investing in infrastructure, customs efficiency, and logistics service quality.
  • Cost of Trade: Efforts are concentrated on reducing non-tariff barriers and informal costs associated with moving goods internally and across borders.
  • Regional Tensions: High political and military tensions with neighbouring countries, as recently witnessed, particularly with Rwanda, can escalate into larger conflicts that disrupt regional trade routes and create unpredictable operating environments.
  • Conflict in the East: The eastern provinces (like North and South Kivu and Ituri) are plagued by armed conflict involving numerous domestic and foreign armed groups. This poses a direct risk of violence, kidnapping, and loss of life or assets for business personnel.