• The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) exported nearly $1.3 billion to the U.S. from January to July 2025, surpassing the cumulative total of the previous eight years.
• The surge coincided with a spike in U.S. demand for African raw materials and the U.S.-China trade tensions, boosting direct shipments from the DRC.
• The export boom drove the U.S. trade deficit with the DRC above $1 billion by July, compared with $96 million in 2024.

The DRC achieved unprecedented export levels to the United States during the first seven months of 2025, government data shows. Local media Bankable reported that the total of nearly $1.3 billion exceeds previous peaks of $605.6 million in 2011 and $400.7 million in 1985.

The export boom concentrated between April and July, when shipments exceeded $1 billion. June alone neared $400 million, a monthly record.

The U.S. Census Bureau did not provide an explanation for the surge. However, the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) attributed the increase to strong U.S. demand for African commodities and trade diversion effects.

The escalation of U.S.-China trade tensions appears to reinforce this view. In April 2025, U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods reached 145%, before averaging 57.6% currently. Companies that previously shipped minerals from the DRC to China for processing redirected shipments directly to the U.S.

Favorable Tariffs and Commodity Prices

The DRC faces average U.S. tariffs of 11%, while key exports such as copper enter duty-free. Rising commodity prices also supported exports, with gold up more than 60% and coffee nearly doubling from January 2024 to July 2025.

The surge widened the U.S. trade deficit with the DRC to over $1 billion by July 2025, compared with $96 million in 2024. The recent expiration of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) on September 30 is expected to have a limited effect on this trend.

This article was initially published in French by Pierre Mukoko

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum