Smuggling of cheap goods from Uganda has forced 15 of Ariwara’s 25 factories to shut down since 2022, the Association of Tenants and Manufacturers of the Aru Territory told Radio Okapi.

The closures have hit companies producing soap, water, bread, wine, and other alcoholic drinks. This wave of shutdowns has weakened Ariwara’s economy, driven up unemployment, and fueled juvenile delinquency.

“We ask the provincial and national governments to support these companies that have closed and those still operating under many difficulties, in order to understand their situation,” said Samuel Nyabho Mugabhayo, president of the local branch of the Federation of Congolese Enterprises (FEC).

Ariwara sits just 12 kilometers from the Ugandan border and has long been a key commercial hub for trade between Ituri and Uganda. Smugglers have flooded Ariwara with products like coffee, tobacco, and other consumer goods for years.

Gold mined in Ituri and Haut-Uélé also flows through Ariwara. Reports show armed groups profit from smuggling these minerals, which are then trafficked through Uganda, Burundi, and Rwanda, with their origins often concealed.

This article was initially published in French by Boaz Kabeya, Intern

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum