IMPROVEMENT OF THE BUSINESS CLIMATE WITH THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION-WTO TRADE FACILITATION AGREEMENT:
MINISTER JULIEN PALUKU KAHONGYA SUSPENDS THE ILLEGAL COLLECTION OF 10 US DOLLARS PER TON BY THE CONGOLESE CONTROL OFFICE-OCC ON AGRICULTURAL EXPORT PRODUCTS IN THE PROVINCES OF NORTH KIVU AND ITURI
Consolidation of the integration of the Democratic Republic of Congo into international trade, the Minister of Foreign Trade, Julien Paluku Kahongya has just suspended the illegal collection of 10 US dollars per tonne by the Congolese Control Office-OCC on agricultural export products and various goods in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri through his letter of December 19, 2025 addressed to the Director General of the Congolese Control Office-OCC; an instruction which follows his letter of August 26, 2025 asking the Director General of this Public Establishment to provide him with clear explanations on the persistence of this perception deemed illegal, which seriously weakens economic operators.
The Minister of Foreign Trade motivates this decision by the consolidation of the improvement of the business climate in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the effective implementation of the Agreement on the Facilitation of Trade of the World Trade Organization-WTO ratified by the country last July, which requires the suppression of any practice contrary to the free movement of goods and services
In this letter, the Minister of Foreign Trade asks the Director General of the Congolese Control Office-OCC to immediately notify the Provincial Director of OCC/North Kivu and Ituri of the immediate cessation of the collection of 10 US dollars per tonne on agricultural export products, therefore an instruction which puts an end to any practice contrary to the law and to any agreement concluded in violation of the regulations.
This decision by the Minister of Foreign Trade, Julien Paluku Kahongya, is highly welcomed by the Congo Business Federation-FEC, the Association of Exporters of Cocoa-Coffee and Other Agricultural Products- ASSECCAF and local cocoa-coffee producers in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, who speak of a sigh of relief.
