Kampala, Uganda – For Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, diplomacy increasingly intersects with the realities of commerce at the border. With trade expanding and businesses seeking greater access to the Congolese market, the latest diplomatic engagement has placed economic cooperation at the centre of the bilateral relationship.
The development followed the presentation of copies of Letters of Credence by H.E. Mulaja Binene Fidele, the newly appointed Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Uganda, to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Affairs, Hon. Kyeyune Haruna Kasolo.
Ambassador Mulaja expressed his commitment to strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, energy and other areas of mutual interest. He also proposed a Uganda–DRC Business Forum within his first 100 days in office to facilitate business partnerships and investment opportunities.
The proposal comes against a backdrop of significant growth in Uganda’s exports to the DRC. According to Uganda Bureau of Statistics figures, Ugandan exports to the DRC increased from US$432.4 million in 2016/17 to US$981.5 million in 2024/25. The figures point to the growing importance of the DRC market within Uganda’s Economic and Commercial Diplomacy strategy.
Uganda and the DRC share a long border, while transport corridors linking western Uganda to eastern DRC provide important routes for the movement of goods, services and people. Earlier Uganda–DRC business engagements have identified infrastructure, border management and the reduction of non-tariff barriers as important conditions for expanding legitimate commerce. During the Uganda–DRC Business Connect Forum and Expo in Butembo, participants highlighted the importance of predictable trading conditions and improved transport infrastructure.
The commercial relationship has developed alongside wider regional integration. The DRC’s accession to the East African Community has expanded the institutional framework within which Uganda and the DRC can address trade and investment issues. For Uganda, the opportunity extends beyond exporting primary products. Greater engagement with the DRC market can create opportunities for Ugandan manufacturers, agricultural producers, logistics companies, financial institutions, construction firms and service providers. For the DRC, deeper economic engagement with Uganda offers access to goods, services, investment and established commercial networks in East Africa.
The proposed business forum could therefore serve as an implementation mechanism linking diplomatic engagement with private-sector activity. Its effectiveness will depend on whether business contacts are followed by contracts, investment commitments, market access and solutions to practical barriers affecting cross-border trade.
This is consistent with the evolving role of Uganda’s diplomatic missions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has increasingly positioned economic diplomacy around identifying opportunities, connecting businesses and converting diplomatic relationships into measurable economic outcomes.
The arrival of Ambassador Mulaja thus comes at a moment when Uganda–DRC relations are acquiring a stronger commercial dimension. The next phase of the relationship will require diplomacy that works simultaneously at political, regional and economic levels supporting peace and stability while making it easier for businesses and communities on both sides of the border to participate in legitimate trade.
In the Uganda–DRC relationship, the border is therefore not merely a line separating two states. It is increasingly a space where diplomacy, regional integration, investment and everyday commerce meet.
