By RFPosted on 10-11-2019Modified on 10-11-2019 at 19:22
On a two-day official visit to Kampala, Uganda, Felix Tshisekedi was accompanied by dozens of economic operators from eastern DRC. This Sunday, November 10, he received them during a meeting focused on the capitalization of economic exchanges between the DRC and Uganda.
Economic operators took the opportunity to explain their problems in terms of security, tax and logistics.
The delegates from North Kivu and Ituri all emphasized the problems of insecurity that hinder economic activities both in the DRC and in neighboring countries.
In Ituri, it is particularly on securing the Mahagi-Djugu axis on which the members of the Federation of Enterprises of Congo have lingered. It is critical to the province's economy and trade with Uganda.
Faced with economic operators, Felix Tshisekedi has again promised to fight against armed groups. He dwelt on the situation in Minembwe, South Kivu, a " thorn ", according to him.
But insecurity is not the only impediment to trade
Congolese economic operators have also complained about the state of the roads. They particularly pleaded for the paving of the Komanda-Mahagi and Komanda-Kisangani road, but also the modernization of the Bunia airport, which could give another dimension to trade with Uganda, they said. The head of state assured to have spoken to the authorities and investors Ugandan.
These operators also spoke to the Head of State about the administrative and fiscal harassment they face. They took the example of the coffee-cocoa sector, for which trade remains essentially informal between the two countries, notably because of a " multiple and high " taxation.
For the Congolese president, one of the answers is in regional integration. Felix Tshisekedi told them of his determination to speed up the DRC's entry into the East African community.
The latter presented to the Head of State the solutions to make them more competitive, namely:
•Security ;
• Rehabilitation and construction of road infrastructure;
• Energy and a less restrictive fiscal framework.
On the same subject
Felix Tshisekedi received with great pomp by Yoweri Museveni in Entebbe
Uganda: Tshisekedi in Kampala to discuss the pacification of eastern DRC
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