What economic consequences after the suspension of the agreements between Kinshasa and Kigali?

A plane bearing the logo of the Rwandair company (illustration image).

AFP - PASCAL PAVANI

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

In the DRC, the Supreme Defense Council has suspended all agreements and pre-agreements signed with Rwanda because Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting the M23 rebel movement.

This suspension also concerns the economy.

What might be the repercussions? 

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Almost a year ago, on June 25, 2021, the Congolese and Rwandan presidents signed with great fanfare in Rubavu three economic agreements intended to strengthen commercial ties between their two countries.

A year later, these texts will bear the brunt of the suspension of all agreements, announced Wednesday evening June 15 at the end of a meeting of the Superior Council of Defense of the DRC.

If, as a senior Congolese official confides, the evaluation of this suspension is still in progress, we know that these agreements drew up a common framework for the promotion of investments, established a double taxation agreement, and above all had put in place cooperation in the field of gold mining.

An expert in the mining sector believes that this joint operation is likely to stop until the problems between the two countries are resolved.

The most visible effect of the tension between the two countries came three weeks ago, when

the DRC banned Rwandair

, the Rwandan company, from operating on its territory.

However, for the time being,

the border at Goma

remains open.

It is true that the flows of men and goods are very important there, even vital for supplying the big cities of eastern Congo.  

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