Butembo, DRC – Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) held a Business Connect Forum and Expo in Butembo, eastern DRC, from 17–18 October 2025. The event, organised by the Uganda Embassy in Kinshasa in partnership with public and private sector stakeholders, was themed “Strengthening Business Linkages for Socioeconomic Transformation” and aimed to foster trade and commerce between the two countries.
Senior officials from both nations discussed trade barriers and explored strategies to create a sustainable business environment. The DRC delegation included H.E. Julien Paluku, Minister of External Trade, H.E. Evariste Somo Kakule, Governor of North Kivu Province, and Hon. Sylvain Kanyamanda Mbusa, Mayor of Butembo. The Ugandan delegation comprised Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, Minister of State for Trade, Amb. Alhajji Farid M. Kaliisa, Uganda’s Ambassador to Kinshasa, senior officials from the Ministry of Trade, representatives from the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UNCCI), and members of the business community.
The forum and expo attracted over 50 businesses from both countries. Made-in-Uganda products on display included agro-products, poultry and dairy, farm inputs, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, apparel, and construction materials. The event provided a platform for networking and connecting with business communities in Beni, Butembo, Kisangani, Goma, and Bukavu.
Butembo, the second-largest city in North Kivu Province, serves as a key commercial hub, with Uganda positioned as a strategic gateway to eastern DRC. Supporting regional trade, the European Union and Trademark Africa (TMA) are implementing the Peaceful and Resilient Borderlands Program, which promotes integration, empowers small-scale traders, and facilitates the free movement of people and goods. Infrastructure projects further support trade, including the construction of the Mpondwe/Kasindi-Beni (80 km), Beni-Butembo (54 km), and Bunagana-Rutshuru-Goma (89 km) roads. These developments have improved accessibility for Ugandan products and are expected to reduce the cost of doing business while creating opportunities for communities on both sides of the border.
According to UBOS, Uganda’s exports to the DRC increased from $432.4 million in 2016/17 to $981.5 million in 2024/25, while DRC exports to Uganda rose from $23 billion in 2020 to $59.8 billion in 2024. Ambassador Kaliisa noted that ongoing strategies could increase Uganda’s exports to the DRC to US$2 billion in the coming years.
During the opening, leaders emphasised that sustainable trade depends on peace, security, transparency, and predictability. They highlighted existing Non-Tariff Barriers, including restrictive administrative practices and discriminatory taxes, which hinder seamless cross-border trade, and urged both governments to collaborate to create an enabling environment for commerce.
