(Ecofin Agency) - In recent months, the DRC and Tunisia have multiplied initiatives to strengthen bilateral trade. Following the creation of a joint Tunisian-Congolese chamber of commerce five years ago, the authorities have just signed a new trade agreement.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Tunisia have signed an agreement to strengthen trade cooperation, Agence Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP) reported last Sunday.

The agreement, signed by ANAPEX and CEPEX, the two countries' respective export promotion agencies, aims to intensify export promotion activities in addition to developing trade relations. Specifically, the agreement provides for the two countries to exchange economic and trade information on their respective markets, mainly publications, statistics, and economic and trade data.

The new agreement will also allow for the exchange of expertise and capacity building, as well as the establishment of an institutional framework to facilitate the organization of business forums, business missions, and information days in both countries.

This new agreement will support the efforts of the Tunisia-DRC Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), which was established in 2017. At its inception, the Joint Chamber's mission was to promote the joint organization of economic events, including fairs, exhibitions and trade days, symposiums, meetings, conferences, and seminars to promote and develop industrial activities, trade, or services between the two countries. It is an opportunity for the executives of Congolese companies to be trained in Tunisia. 

The long-term objective of the Chamber is to strengthen and develop cooperation between Tunisian and Congolese companies and entrepreneurs to open the Congolese market to Tunisian products and vice versa.

Jean-Marc Gogbeu