The DRC Vice-Prime Minister, H.E Eve Bazaiba, recently officially opened the Kenya – DRC Trade Mission 2021, a 15 day business networking initiative. The Trade event is organized by the governments of Kenya and DRC in partnership with the Equity Group.
The trade mission, which brings together Kenyan and DRC investors and entrepreneurs, will be held in four of DRC’s cities of Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Goma, and Mbuji Mayi. SMEs will have an opportunity to explore opportunities in DRC through business forums and panel discussions moderated by experts in various fields, site visits to various businesses and locations of interest, networking sessions, and trade exhibitions.
The Trade Mission comes at a time when DRC has received approval from the EAC Council of Ministers to join the EAC trading bloc. This move is expected to open up the country and the region to fair competition and trade.
The Kinshasa trade mission lasted 4 days, and the delegation is expected to move to Lubumbashi, the third largest city in the DRC for another 4 days before moving to Goma and later Mbuji Mayi. The mission is expected to expose the local entrepreneurs to opportunities in the service industry, manufacturing, mining, agriculture among other sectors of the economy.
Speaking during the official opening ceremony, H.E Eve Bazaiba stated, “I am delighted to see that what began as a discussion between the DRC President H.E President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo and Kenyan President H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, to strengthen the relations between our two countries through trade and investments, formally kick off through this trade mission.”
Also speaking at the opening ceremony, Kenya Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Trade, Industrialization and Enterprise Development Hon. Betty Maina said, “As Kenya Government, we are encouraging Kenyan SMEs to consider the DRC as a market for regional expansion. Kenya and the DRC already have existing trade relations and this Trade Mission will further enhance paring local Kenyan entrepreneurs to local DRC businesses.”