MINISTRY OF FOREIGN TRADE OFFICIAL LAUNCH THIS TUESDAY IN KINSHASA OF THE 16TH MEETING OF THE ZLECAF COUNCIL OF TRADE MINISTERS BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, FÉLIX TSHISEKEDI
Giving this Tuesday in Kinshasa the go of the 16th meeting of the Council of Ministers of Commerce of the African Continental Free Trade Area-ZLECAF, the President of the Republic, Félix Tshisekedi pleaded for the establishment in the Congolese capital of the structures and services of this continental economic organization which aims at the creation of a common African market with a customs union to thus increase intra-African trade
Before the 54 Ministers of Commerce, senior officials and experts from the ZLECAF as well as Congolese officials, the Head of State insisted on the development of value chains, infrastructure, the harmonization of trade policies and the sharing of technologies for good African integration.
The organization of this 16th meeting of the ZLECAF Council of Trade Ministers in Kinshasa is a strong symbol in raising awareness among the Congolese populations and economic operators to appropriate the ZLECAF which augurs the emancipation of Africa, added President Félix Tshisekedi
Speaking shortly before, the Minister of Foreign Trade, Julien Paluku Kahongya reassured that the DRC which has already presented the list of 6,439 products which will be affected by the tariff dismantling has more to gain than to lose by being in the ZLECAF whose implementation is not immediate but rather progressive, because the rules of origin will be applied systematically, he insisted.
With its instruments put in place including the Industrialization Master Plan, the Agricultural Transformation Plan and the National Strategy for the Promotion of Exports and Market Diversification-
SPED is preparing to face the challenges of the ZLECAF.
Taking advantage of this platform, Julien Paluku Kahongya condemned with the greatest firmness the Rwandan aggression and the systematic looting of Congolese minerals, which negatively impacts African integration.
In their interventions, the Secretary General of the ZLECAF, Wamkele Mene and the President of the Council of Ministers, the Tanzanian Suleiman, welcomed the firm determination of President Félix Tshisekedi so that the DRC can play a major role in the implementation of this continental economic organization whose implementation will change African economies
Note that the Presidents of institutions, parliamentarians, members of the Government, public officials, the diplomatic corps, economic operators and producers took part in this solemn opening ceremony.
