• DR Congo, UAE sign CEPA aiming to double trade to $10bn

• Deal opens UAE market to 6,000 Congolese products

• Agreements cover ports, mining cooperation and diplomatic training

The Democratic Republic of Congo plans to double trade with the United Arab Emirates from $5 billion to $10 billion by 2030, the Congolese presidency said on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, as the two countries signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and three memorandums of understanding in the presence of President Félix Tshisekedi.

The CEPA will give Congolese exporters access to the UAE market for 6,000 products and aims to ease market entry for businesses by cutting customs duties and strengthening trade safeguards.

One memorandum, signed with the National Transport Office, covers the Banana deep-water port project being developed with DP World, which Kinshasa sees as a strategic maritime hub for the country.

The two sides also agreed to cooperate in the mining sector to improve mineral traceability and secure supply chains through coordinated investment.

They further agreed to work together on diplomatic training through a partnership between the DRC Diplomatic Academy and the UAE’s Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, according to the presidency.

The agreements mark a step toward closer ties between Kinshasa and Abu Dhabi and set the stage for deeper economic, cultural and political exchanges.

Growing diplomatic and economic relations

Relations between the two countries have steadily strengthened in recent years, with the UAE showing rising interest in the DRC.

In 2023, the two countries signed a $1.9 billion deal to develop at least four industrial mines in eastern Congo. That same year, they reached an agreement allowing the transfer of “certified” gold between the two sides.

In 2025, Abu Dhabi Ports said it intended to invest in the ports of Matadi and Boma. The UAE exports vehicles, machinery and electrical equipment, iron and mineral fuels to the DRC, while Congo supplies copper, natural pearls and precious metals.

Ingrid Haffiny