Uganda and the DRC signed key trade and infrastructure deals in Kampala, targeting faster connectivity and $1.5b in bilateral trade by 2028.

Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have reached several agreements to boost trade relations.The deals came out of the three-day 9th Uganda-DRC Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) meeting that ended in Kampala on Sunday.. DRC President Félix Tshisekedi has arrived in the country for President Yoweri Museveni’s swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday.Further talks about the trade relations are anticipated to be completed at State House, Entebbe, with President Museveni.. At the JPC, both Uganda and

DRC top government officials said they are focused on turning existing commitments into real results rather than signing new documents.Key outcomes include a Memorandum of Understanding on Standard Gauge Railway connectivity, technical agreements for one-stop border posts at Busanza-Bunagana and Mpondwe-Kasindi, and a joint roadmap for the Ruzizi III hydropower project plus electricity interconnection to Goma.The two sides also launched a mechanism for certifying conflict-free minerals and operationalised a committee for the Virunga National Park

ecosystem.. They set a bilateral trade target of $1.5b by 2028.John Mulimba, minister of state for Foreign Affairs (Regional Affairs), said: “This 9th session may be closing, but our work is just beginning.. We are forging a belt of prosperity across the Rwenzori.. We are proving that when neighbouring states look toward each other for solutions, they can solve the most complex problems of security, migration, and trade.. John Mulimba, Minister of State for Foreign

Affairs in charge of Regional Affairs.. (Courtesy photo)

Uganda DRC trade deals, Joint Permanent Commission, one-stop border posts, Standard Gauge Railway, Ruzizi III hydropower, conflict-free minerals, Virunga ecosystem committee