Zambia and DRC Agree to 24/7 Kasumbalesa Border Operation
Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC) have signed a Communique to start operating Kasumbalesa boarder facility on a 24 hours window.
Copperbelt Province Minister Elisha Matambo,Mines Minister Paul Kabuswe and Commerce & Trades Minister Chipoka Mulenga met their DRC counterparts at Kasumbalesa Boarder on the Copperbelt Province of Zambia last evening.
The DRC entourage included Commerce & External Affairs Minister Jean Lucien Bussa, Vice Governor Haut Katanga Region Jean Claude Kantwa and DRC Ambassador to Zambia Paulo Costa .
The Communique was signed between Zambia and DRC following the meeting the two Head of States Mr Hakainde Hichilema and his counterpart Mr Felix Tshisekedi had in Ethiopia recently.
Zambia’s Minister of Commerce & Trades Chipoka Mulenga signed on behalf of the Zambian government while DRC Minister of Commerce and External Affairs Jean Lucien Bussa appended the signature on behalf of Congolese government.
Addressing the media, two ministers disclosed the agreed items in the Communique ; all boarder agencies to start operating on 24 hour window to be implemented after one week of signing the Communique, both countries agreed to authorize all types of commercial goods to pass through Kasumbalesa, Kipushi and Mukambo boarder facilities, Zambia agreed to upgrade boarder facilities at Kasumbalesa, Kipushi , Sakania and Mukambo boarders .
Other agreed measures are Zambia to reconsider night restrictions of movement of commercial cargo to be implemented within one week of signing,DRC to put a new building at Kasumbalesa boarder for effective processing of documents and DRC committed to upgrade parking and risky yards and also to construct a ring road on the Congolese Side.
DRC requested Zambia to hold next meeting in DRC on a day to be communicated by the Congolese authority to go and cement more agreements aimed at benefiting two peoples.
The agreed Communique is aimed at ending the traffic empasse at Kasumbalesa boarder to enhance trade not only for two countries but also for entire SADC and COMESA region.
