The Chairman of the Private Sector Federation (PSF), Robert Bapfakurera has revealed that the new good relationship between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has presented ample trade opportunities among Rwanda’s private investors.

During an exclusive interview with IGIHE, Bapfakurera highlighted that food commodities are most likely to get the biggest market in DRC because the later imports more.

Trade opportunities between Rwanda, DRC have been recently boosted by the launch of RwandAir flights from Kigali to Kinshasa, the capital city of DRC while cargo flights are also expected to follow.

Bapfakurera has said that Rwandan traders welcomed both countries’ efforts to improve relations and demonstrated willingness to expand businesses in DRC.

“They have started visiting DRC to analyze the market and identify partners so that they can run businesses next time. They were extremely delighted,” he said.

Rwanda has the largest export market of foods and other commodities in DRC particularly in Eastern part of the country namely Goma and Bukavu which Bapfakurera said is set to get a boost.

Bapfakurera explained that the launch of cargo flights will be a great trade opportunity with DRC because investors would often use passengers’ aircrafts to carry luggage which would run short of space.

Rwanda, DRC relations started getting a boost when President Félix Tshisekedi was elected at the beginning of 2019.

President Paul Kagame has recently revealed that RwandAir was denied route to Kinshasa to DRC at the reign of former President Joseph Kabila.
Source: Igihe

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