LAUNCH OF THE VALIDATION WORKSHOP OF THE DRAFT DRAFT LAW ON THE NATIONAL REGULATION OF FOREIGN TRADE STARTED THIS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2026 IN KINSHASA
The Democratic Republic of Congo, which ratified the World Trade Organization-WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement last July, is further consolidating its integration into international trade; experts from the Ministry of Foreign Trade, sectoral Ministries and public-private services and organizations including the General Directorate of Customs and Excise-DGDA, the Federation of Companies of Congo-FEC and the National Federation of Artisans of Small and Medium Enterprises of Congo-FENAPEC are in the validation workshop of the preliminary bill relating to the national regulation of Foreign Trade, which started this Wednesday, January 14 2026 in Kinshasa.
This preliminary bill which will modify and supplement Law No. 73/009, of January 5, 1973, known as special law on commerce, counts
bring several innovations including the creation of a framework for consultation with all stakeholders in Foreign Trade, the establishment of a committee to coordinate and monitor trade agreements, the management of different sectoral regulations relating to Foreign Trade in matters concerning trade in services, the strengthening of mechanisms for the control of Foreign Trade activities on the one hand and the proposal of a repressive regime for the improvement of the business climate on the other hand, and the definition of incentive measures linked to the promotion of exports as well as the mechanisms for safeguarding local industry in the DRC.
In giving the go-ahead for this 2-day workshop, the Secretary General for Foreign Trade, Jules Muilu Mbo, on behalf of Minister Julien Paluku Kahongya, who strengthens the implementation of public policies to boost the Foreign Trade sector of the Democratic Republic of Congo, declared that the establishment of new, more precise regulations in the Foreign Trade sector will allow the country to meet the requirements of ratified international legal instruments and adapt to the dynamics of operations import-export and transit of goods with emphasis on the simplification of procedures.
Note that the Chief of Staff of the Minister of Foreign Trade, Beneseth Msafiri Kyakakala took part in this opening ceremony.
