DR Congo, Zambia to reopen border posts

KINSHASA, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) — The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia agreed to reopen border posts from Tuesday after three days of closing.
The two sides also agreed to grant a special 30-day waiver to facilitate the transition and allow affected parties to adjust to new regulations.
The decision was made at a bilateral ministerial meeting held in Lubumbashi, capital of the DRC’s southeastern Haut-Katanga province, attended by DRC Minister of External Trade Julien Paluku and Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry of Zambia Chipoka Mulenga.
The Zambian government on Saturday closed the border posts with the DRC, saying the closure was a security measure due to protests by truck drivers angry at the DRC’s decision in June to ban the import of products such as beer and soft drinks for 12 months.
The DRC and Zambia rely heavily on roads for the export of precious metals, notably copper and cobalt. Zambia is a key export route for the DRC, the world’s second-largest producer of copper in 2023. ■