Zambia, DRC reopen their border after successful talks to resolve trade dispute

Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have agreed to reopen their border after successful negotiations that have resolved a trade dispute between the two countries that led Zambia to briefly close its border over the weekend.

Zambia announced on Sunday (11 August) it had closed its border with its northern neighbor after the DRC imposed a ban on the import of soft drinks and beer from Zambia. “The Zambian party informed the Congolese party that the border will be reopened, to allow the free movement of people and goods between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Zambia,” said the ministers of commerce of the two countries in a joint statement released on Monday (12 August). This decision follows successful negotiations between the two governments to solve the trade dispute.

Zambia’s decision to shut its border threatened landlocked DRC’s ability to export its minerals, resulting in protests by Congolese truckers near the border town of Kasumbalesa. Zambian business groups also criticized the ban, with the country’s Association of Manufacturers saying it could set a “dangerous precedent for future trade relations.”

DRC has large-scale gold, copper and cobalt reserves in its mineral-rich east, much of whom passes through Zambia on its way to the coast for shipping.