Cross Border Trade between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda has significantly increased despite the two countries being embroiled in political tensions that might escalate over time.
According to the East African, residents of both countries on both sides of the border are ignoring the ongoing tensions between them and trading freely with each other.
Patrick Muyaya, Congolese government spokesman said the border between Goma in the DRC and Rubavu district in Rwanda is one of the busiest in Africa in terms of human traffic and trade.
According to data from the World Bank, “Petite Barrière is the busiest pedestrian crossing point in the Great Lakes region, with more than 50,000 people crossing every day.”
The Congolese authorities did not close the borders when the political crisis between the two countries started, rather they upscaled the border closure time from 5 pm to 3 pm affecting businesses.
Cross-border trading is encouraged and not restricted in the region and there is no official policy restricting it in DRC or Rwanda.
Traders indulging in cross-border trading live off their trade and often make daily commutes across the border to ply their trade.
For example, in Congo’s Goma, women from Rwanda enter the city daily to sell fresh milk while Congolese traders cross over to Rwanda to buy meat.
A contributing factor to the trade is a lack of road infrastructure linking DRC’s provinces.
“To travel to Rwanda from Goma, I have to spend just $5, whereas to go to Kinshasa and back, I need around $500,” Akilimali Chomachoma, a resident of Goma explained.
In Other Border towns like South Kivu which shares a border with Rwanda and Burundi, Congolese authorities have stepped up key initiatives to facilitate trade between the bordering countries especially Rwanda.
