The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) officially imported $542.74 million worth of goods from Uganda during the 2024-2025 financial year, a 29% increase from the previous year, according to data from the Bank of Uganda. The surge occurred despite the closure of border posts near areas occupied by M23 rebels. The bank also estimated informal imports at $419.46 million, bringing the total trade to $962.2 million.

The figures position the DRC as the top importer of Ugandan goods within the East African Community (EAC) and the second largest overall, behind only Kenya, when considering formal trade alone. The most imported products include refined vegetable oil, sugar, soap, plastic items, and hardware. This import structure reflects the country's low level of industrialization, particularly in its eastern border regions, making the DRC a key market for its neighbors' manufactured goods.

During the same period, the DRC's formal exports to Uganda were valued at only $42.6 million. The Bank of Uganda does not provide estimates for informal exports, but multiple sources, including the National Office of Agricultural Products (ONAPAC), report that significant volumes of cocoa, coffee, and artisanal gold from North Kivu and Ituri cross the border undeclared. Raw palm oil is also informally exported to supply local refineries in Uganda.

Measures are being taken to curb these informal flows. In North Kivu, for example, the ONAPAC sub-section in Beni regularly intercepts illegal cocoa shipments. "The objective is to discourage the illicit trafficking of cocoa and coffee," said Kaswera Syvialeghana Alphonsine, the ONAPAC director in Beni. Still, many operators continue to favor informal channels due to a lack of security, poor road conditions, high transportation costs, and a lack of product traceability.

Timothée Manoke (Intern)