• The DRC's total trade with Uganda surged to $962.2 million in 2024-25, despite regional instability near the border.
• This positions the DRC as Uganda's top EAC market, primarily importing manufactured goods due to its own limited industrial capacity.
• DRC exports of gold and cocoa largely bypass official channels, moving informally due to security risks and poor infrastructure.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) officially imported $542.74 million worth of goods from Uganda during the 2024-2025 financial year, a 29% increase from the previous period, according to new data from the Bank of Uganda. This surge occurred despite the closure of border posts near areas occupied by M23 rebels. When combined with an estimated $419.46 million in informal imports, the total trade value reached $962.2 million.

These figures establish the DRC as the top importer of Ugandan goods within the East African Community (EAC) and the second largest overall, behind Kenya, based on formal trade alone. The most significant products imported include refined vegetable oil, sugar, soap, plastic items, and hardware. This trade pattern highlights the DRC's limited industrial capacity, particularly in its eastern regions, making it a crucial market for manufactured goods from its neighbors.

In contrast, the DRC's formal exports to Uganda were valued at just $42.6 million during the same period. While the Bank of Uganda does not estimate informal exports, sources like the National Office of Agricultural Products (ONAPAC) report that significant volumes of cocoa, coffee, and artisanal gold from North Kivu and Ituri cross the border undeclared. Raw palm oil is also informally exported to supply refineries in Uganda.

Efforts are underway to curb these illicit flows. In North Kivu, for example, the ONAPAC sub-section in Beni regularly intercepts illegal cocoa shipments. "The objective is to discourage the illicit trafficking of cocoa and coffee," stated Kaswera Syvialeghana Alphonsine, the ONAPAC director in Beni. However, many traders continue to prefer informal channels, citing security risks, poor road conditions, high transportation costs, and a lack of product traceability.

Timothée Manoke (Intern)