Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have signed a trade facilitation and cooperation agreement in Dar es Salaam aimed at growing both economies and opening more trade and investment opportunities.
The agreement was signed by the Minister for Industry and Trade, Judith Kapinga (MP), and the DRC Minister of Trade, Julien Paluku Kahongya.
The signing followed a recent visit by the DRC President focused on trade opportunities, with the DRC relying heavily on the Port of Dar es Salaam to transport goods to the country.
Kapinga outlined the priority areas of cooperation as transport, exports, trade facilitation, infrastructure, and cross-border trade.
The two countries also agreed to establish a joint trade committee to improve the business environment between them.
The DRC delegation visited the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) to observe how the Port of Dar es Salaam operates as a key link in trade between Tanzania and the DRC.
Speaking to reporters, the Director of Trade Development at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Sempeho Manongi, described the DRC as an important country for Tanzania in trade relations.
Manongi noted that goods produced in the DRC, including minerals, can pass through the Port of Dar es Salaam and use Tanzanian infrastructure, while goods produced in Tanzania reach the DRC market.
Trade between Tanzania and the DRC has grown into a substantial economic relationship centred on the Port of Dar es Salaam, which serves as the landlocked DRC’s main gateway to the sea.
In 2025, Tanzania exported goods worth TZS 795 billion to the DRC, while imports from the DRC were valued at TZS 24 billion.
Earlier in 2026, the two countries’ presidents agreed to strengthen economic and social cooperation in strategic areas including trade and investment, agriculture, mining, energy, transport, infrastructure and health.
The President of DRC announced that the country has begun preparations to build a dry port in Dar es Salaam to streamline the handling of Congolese cargo moving through Tanzania’s main gateway to international markets.
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