Uganda, DRC set timeline for infrastructure push
The deals came out of the three-day 9th Uganda-DRC Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) meeting that ended in Kampala on Sunday. DRC President Félix Tshisekedi has arrived in the country for President Yoweri Museveni's swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday.
Seated: Mulimba (sixth-left), Kayikwamba (fifth-left), the minister of security, Jim Muhwezi (fourth-left) with other ministers during the conclusion of a three-day Joint Permanent Commission meeting in Kampala. (Courtesy photo)
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Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have reached several agreements to boost trade relations.
The deals came out of the three-day 9th Uganda-DRC Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) meeting that ended in Kampala on Sunday. DRC President Félix Tshisekedi has arrived in the country for President Yoweri Museveni's swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday.
Further talks about the trade relations are anticipated to be completed at State House, Entebbe, with President Museveni. At the JPC, both Uganda and DRC top government officials said they are focused on turning existing commitments into real results rather than signing new documents.
Key outcomes include a Memorandum of Understanding on Standard Gauge Railway connectivity, technical agreements for one-stop border posts at Busanza-Bunagana and Mpondwe-Kasindi, and a joint roadmap for the Ruzizi III hydropower project plus electricity interconnection to Goma.
The two sides also launched a mechanism for certifying conflict-free minerals and operationalised a committee for the Virunga National Park ecosystem. They set a bilateral trade target of $1.5b by 2028.
John Mulimba, minister of state for Foreign Affairs (Regional Affairs), said: “This 9th session may be closing, but our work is just beginning. We are forging a belt of prosperity across the Rwenzori. We are proving that when neighbouring states look toward each other for solutions, they can solve the most complex problems of security, migration, and trade.
John Mulimba, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Affairs. (Courtesy photo)
“The unique nature of this JPC cannot be understated. Our decisions will feed into the briefing of our Principals. We look forward to their guidance during at discussions scheduled for tomorrow on any issues that remain outstanding.”
DRC’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, said: “We are already working very closely together. I think Uganda and the DRC are an excellent example of how regional security challenges and peace issues can be tackled together, be it when it comes to displacement. There is a lot of work going through the joint commissions.”
The DRC is Uganda’s largest trading partner, with exports already exceeding $800m in the recent financial year. The JPC was attended by key ministers, including Jim Muhwezi (minister of security), Edward Katumba Wamala (works and transport minister and Chris Baryomunsi (minister of ICT and National Guidance), among others.