Uganda, DRC agree to remove entry visas, strengthen security
Oct 15, 2023
If the JPC’s recommendation is implemented, it will facilitate trade among citizens of both nations, especially those around the borders.
John Mulimba, State Minister for Foreign Affairs (L)) with Mbusa Nyamwisi State Minister for Regional Integration DRC (C) and other officials at the meeting. (Photos by Jeff Andrew lule)
By Jeff Andrew Lule and Nicholas Oneal
Journalists @New Vision
_____________________________ (L-R) The First Deputy Premier and Minister for East African Affairs Rebecca Kadaga with Democratic Republic of Congo's Minister for Regional Cooperation Mbusa Nyamwisi at the Eighth Joint Permanent Misison in Kinshasha. John Mulimba, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs/Regional Cooperation (left) interracting with Mbusa Nyamwisi the Minister of Regional Integration (Centre) for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during the opening of the meeting at the meeting in Kinshasa.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda have finally decided to remove entry visa requirements at their respective borders as part of efforts to increase trade between the two nations.
This was decided upon during the eighth Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) between the DRC and Uganda, which ended on Saturday, October 14, in Kinshasa.
In a joint communique signed by Uganda’s First Deputy Premier and Minister for East African Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga, and the State Minister for Regional Integration DRC, Antipas Nyamwisi, the two countries agreed to remove entry visa fees on a reciprocal basis to facilitate free movement of people.
While addressing a gathering during the commissioning of the Lhubiriha Border Export Zone and Mpondwe One Stop Border Post in Kasese District in December last year, President Yoweri Museveni asked Ugandan officials to stop asking for visas from Congolese citizens entering the country, emphasising that crossing borders in East Africa should be free.
His directive came after locals raised complaints they were being charged $2.68 (about sh10,000) to cross to DRC and the same amount for the Congolese entering Uganda.
If the JPC’s recommendation is implemented, it will facilitate trade among citizens of both nations, especially those around the borders. 
To put the meeting's suggestions into action, they also agreed to set up a permanent joint follow-up committee within three months, which is tasked to produce quarterly progress reports.
Officials from both sides coincided with the need to strengthen their bilateral ties to more effectively address the challenges the two nations were experiencing and advance the welfare of their citizens.
The purpose of the meeting was to identify new issues and forge new areas of cooperation while also assessing the implementation of the many bilateral agreements that the two countries had signed.
John Mulimba, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs for Regional Cooperation, praised the DRC government for its assistance given to Uganda in the area of peace and security, including the ongoing Operation Shujaa, in his opening remarks.
Others who were part of the Uganda delegation included ministers Norbert Mao for justice and constitutional affairs, Oboth-Oboth (defence state minister), Peter Lokeris (state-minerals), Harriet Ntabazi (state-trade), John Muyingo (state-higher education), Joyce Ssebugwawo (state-ICT & national guidance), Fred Byamukama (state-transport), Hellen Adoa (state-fisheries), Sarah Mateke (state-youth) and Hanifa Kawooya (state-health, general duties).
“It is within this process that we are in a better position to devise solutions to address common challenges faced by our people across the common border and within our countries,” he noted.
Mulimba pointed out that the conference coincides with the two countries' efforts to rebuild their economies in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak and the ensuing natural disasters that have wreaked havoc in the region.
“Through our bilateral cooperation, we are well placed to rebuild our national economies and contribute to the economic recovery of our region and the continent. It is essential that mutually beneficial economic ties and investment flows grow between our two countries as these are the foundations for intra-regional trade and development,” he added. 
Additionally, he said, it is critical to support regional integration processes adequately since doing so would foster economic interdependence and shared advantages, which in turn would foster communication and understanding among African nations.
He emphasised that this may support efforts to promote peace and lessen conflict.
He pointed out that intra-regional trade further encourages the exchange of knowledge, expertise, and technology across nations, cooperation in the fields of industry, healthcare, education, and agriculture may speed up innovation, increase productivity, and boost competitiveness.
To ensure they don't lose track and momentum of implementing agreed decisions, Mulimba called for enhancing the review and monitoring process of the JPC's decisions and outcomes.
He also noted that Uganda recognizes the long-standing linkages, friendly relations, shared ancestry, cultural history, and linguistic legacy that are anchored in the shared Pan-African principles of Ubuntu.
Additionally, Mulimba delivered President Museveni's appreciation to President Felix Tshisekedi for his excellent leadership and work as chair of the African Union (AU) and the Regional Oversight Mechanism of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) for the years 2022–2023.
His counterpart, Nyamwisi condemned the acts of terrorism that caused thousands of victims in the DRC, specifically in Beni territory in North Kivu, Irumu and Mambasa territories in Ituri, and the massacre of the students at the Mpodwe Lhubirira Secondary School in Kasese.
He stressed the need to foster closer relationships between the two nations' populations and further signaled his government's readiness to rekindle their mutually beneficial trade, cultural exchanges, and security ties.
He reaffirmed the commitment and resolve of the two heads of state to place a high priority on bilateral cooperation to raise the living conditions of the populations of both nations.
The two countries also examined issues relating to military and security cooperation, the securing and demarcation of common borders, the neutralisation of hostile armed groups, the fight against the proliferation of small arms, and light weapons, repatriation of refugees, public administration and decentralised cooperation between decentralised territorial entities bordering DRC and Uganda.
The discussed cooperation in the fields of trade, taxation, customs, transport, telecommunication and communications, industry, agriculture, fisheries, and livestock, pollution control in the border zone, the construction of power lines and roads between the two countries, infrastructure development, hydrocarbon exploitation in areas of common interest and health matters among others.
They also noted with satisfaction the efforts made to implement the recommendations of the seventh session of JPC between DRC and Uganda held in Kampala at Speke Resort Munyonyo, in 2018.