The Federation of Enterprises of Congo (FEC) and TradeMark Africa (TMA) announced on Oct. 17, 2025, an agreement aimed at expanding TMA’s digital trade information platform and strengthening logistics dialogue in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The project is designed to structure exchanges between Congolese economic actors and their counterparts in Central Africa while reducing the costs and delays associated with freight transport, particularly along the DRC-Zambia corridor.

Financed by the U.K. International Development through the British government, the agreement runs until March 2026 and seeks to facilitate access for Congolese traders—especially women and youth—to reliable, real-time commercial data.

Small traders in Haut-Katanga are among the main beneficiaries of the initiative, which will provide them with new digital tools intended to increase their competitiveness in regional markets.

The agreement leverages TMA’s successful experience in East Africa. According to the 2024 Making Trade Work for Women in East Africa report, the platform has already connected over 95,000 traders, 90% of whom are women, in Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, to new buyers and markets, generating an average 70% increase in annual sales.

TradeMark Africa, a non-profit organization, works for inclusive trade and sustainable economic growth on the continent. In the DRC, it supports several initiatives aimed at modernizing logistics infrastructure, promoting the digitalization of trade, and facilitating cross-border commerce.

TMA is also executing several infrastructure projects across the country, including the construction of One-Stop Border Posts at Mahagi (Ituri) and Ruzizi, as well as the Kalundu port in South Kivu, all intended to streamline regional trade flows.

‎Ronsard Luabeya