Reopening of borders in the DRC: traffic between Kinshasa and Brazzaville remains limited

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3 min

The authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo officially reopened, this Saturday, August 15, the air and sea borders of the country. They had been closed since last March to contain the spread of Covid-19. RFI went to the “Beach Ngobila”, Kinshasa's river port, from where the shuttles that link Kinshasa to Brazzaville, the capital of the other Congo leave in particular. 

Publicity

With our correspondent in Kinshasa, Patient Ligodi

The main port of embarkation and disembarkation of passengers crossing the Congo River between Kinshasa and Brazzaville is almost empty this Saturday. The customs officers are there, the police too ... Almost all the services are in place, but the yachts, boats and other vessels are not moving. 

Indeed, there is no trafficking because the Congolese authorities in Brazzaville have not yet reopened their borders. Discussions have already been initiated to see how far to reduce the delay. In the meantime, only people with special permission can cross. For this, you have to spend no less than 300 US dollars.

Internal air and sea links in the DRC, also suspended since last March, were again authorized.

Thus, this Saturday morning, the first resumption flight took place for Congo Airways, the national company. About a hundred people had turned up for boarding in Kinshasa, but all the connections and all the companies have not yet resumed.

Fear of the spread of Covid-19

The reopening of air and sea borders as well as this resumption of air and river connections within the DRC, raise fears of a spread of Covid-19. Also, the government clarified on Friday that migratory movements are subject to the obligation to hold a medical certificate, confirming the result of the negative Covid-19 test, carried out three days before the trip within the approved medical authorities.

For international flights, faced with the difficulty of fully setting up test systems at airports today, it was recommended that the arrival test systems be put in place from 1 September.

► To read also: The DRC reopens its borders, the airlines will try to get up

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• DRC
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