To increase the volume and value of trade between Uganda and the DRC, the Uganda Embassy in Kinshasa, in partnership with public and private sector stakeholders from both countries, held a Business Connect Forum and Expo in Butembo, eastern DRC.
Under the theme “Strengthening Business Linkages for Socio-Economic Transformation,” the forum aimed to connect businesses in both countries for mutual growth in trade and commerce.
During the event, senior representatives from both sides are discussing existing barriers to trade and finding practical solutions to create a sustainable business environment.
The DRC government was represented by Julien Paluku, Minister of External Trade; Evariste Somo Kakule, Governor of North Kivu Province; and Sylvain Kanyamanda Mbusa, Mayor of Butembo City, among others. The Ugandan delegation included 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; and representatives from the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UNCCI), and the business community.
The Business Forum and Expo in Butembo attracted over 50 Ugandan enterprises showcasing products such as agro-products, poultry and dairy, farm inputs, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, apparel, and construction materials. Exhibitors are networking with DRC businesses, especially from Beni, Butembo, Kisangani, Goma, and Bukavu.
Butembo, the second-largest city in North Kivu Province, hosts a large business community with links as far as Kinshasa. Uganda’s strategic location makes it a vital gateway into and out of eastern DRC.
With support from the European Union and TradeMark Africa (TMA), Uganda and the DRC are implementing the Peaceful and Resilient Borderlands Programme to turn cross-border trade into a path for peace and economic growth. The programme promotes regional integration, empowers small-scale traders, and supports free movement of people and goods.
The two countries are also jointly constructing key roads of mutual economic benefit, including the Mpondwe/Kasindi–Beni (80km), Beni–Butembo (54km), and Bunagana–Rutshuru–Goma (89km) roads. These projects have improved access to Ugandan products in several eastern DRC cities. Once completed, the roads will reduce business costs and create more opportunities for both countries.
According to UBOS, Uganda’s exports to the DRC rose from US$432.4 million in 2016/17 to US$981.5 million in 2024/25. Similarly, DRC exports to Uganda increased from US$23 billion in 2020 to US$59.8 billion in 2024. This growth is attributed to improved security, better transport infrastructure, and DRC’s entry into the East African Community.
Amb. Kaliisa said the ongoing strategies could boost Uganda’s exports to the DRC to US$2 billion in the next few years.
At the opening of the Business Forum, leaders emphasised the need for sustainable peace and security, noting that trade thrives only in a transparent, predictable, and free environment. They also called for the removal of non-tariff barriers such as restrictive administrative practices and discriminatory taxes that hinder smooth trade across borders.
