By Jean d’Amour Mbonyinshuti

Rwanda and DR Congo have signed a new agreement establishing a framework for bilateral cooperation in the area of cross-border trade and elimination of non-tariff barriers.

Officials in charge of trade from both countries signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU), last week, in Rubavu District, during the official launch of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa Simplified Trade Regime (COMESA STR).

The move seeks to ease small-scale trade by waiving import duty on products whose worth is below $2000 (about Rwf1.6 million), according to officials.

It is especially expected to help thousands of small-scale cross-border traders, largely women, to carry out their daily business smoothly.

There is a list of 168 products categorised into agricultural, livestock, fisheries, construction, cosmetics and manufactured products.

A joint periodic review will be conducted every six months to see if there are more products to add or remove, officials said.

According to Francois Kanimba, the Minister for Trade, Industry and EAC Affairs, both the MoU and the Simplified Trade Regime will ease cross-border formal and informal trade between the two countries.

He said the launch of STR was long overdue as Rwanda and DR Congo are member states of COMESA.

The framework agreement aims to facilitate cross-border trade; eliminate non-tariff barriers; commercial and customs fraud; and ensure proper management and exchange of information and statistics, among others.

Kanimba explained that it is part of government’s strategy to promote trade with all its neighbouring countries through setting up required infrastructure, especially roads and markets, along borders.

“The official launch of the COMESA Simplified Trade Regime and the signing of the MoU between both governments is one of the concrete steps to strengthen trade between Rwanda and the DR Congo,” he said.

Source: All Africa

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