The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) reaffirmed its strategic commitment to regional integration on Tuesday as President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo addressed the 16th Meeting of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Council of Ministers in Kinshasa. Delivering the opening statement, President Tshisekedi called for enhanced African cooperation under the auspices of the AfCFTA, a flagship initiative of the African Union intended to reshape the continent’s economic architecture through the creation of a unified market.
The President framed his remarks within the broader vision of transforming Africa’s long-held aspirations of economic self-determination into tangible outcomes for its 1.4 billion citizens. He reiterated that effective implementation of the AfCFTA could serve as a catalyst for job creation, industrial growth, and improved livelihoods across the continent. The pact, which now includes 54 of the African Union’s 55 member states (with Eritrea as the sole holdout), is poised to become the largest free trade area in the world by number of participating countries.
In calling for concerted regional action, Tshisekedi emphasised the need for African nations to consolidate efforts and resources. “By uniting 54 nations under a common market for goods and services, facilitating the free movement of people and capital, and laying the groundwork for a customs union, the AfCFTA offers a unique platform to transcend borders and unlock Africa’s economic potential,” he declared.
While the AfCFTA Agreement officially entered into force in May 2019, the operational phase was launched in July of the same year during the 12th Extraordinary Summit of the African Union in Niamey, Niger. Full-scale trading under the agreement commenced on 1 January 2021, though implementation remains phased, with significant work still required in tariff harmonisation, rules of origin, and institutional architecture.
President Tshisekedi underscored several strategic advantages offered by the AfCFTA, notably expanded market access across regional blocs, enhanced mobility of skilled labour, and facilitation of intra-African investment. He also highlighted the potential for technology diffusion, skills transfer, and the development of pan-African value chains, particularly in manufacturing and agriculture. These priorities align closely with Agenda 2063, the African Union’s strategic framework for inclusive and sustainable development.
To enable the realisation of these benefits, the President urged African governments to prioritise key enabling conditions. These include harmonisation of regulatory frameworks, streamlined border procedures, and large-scale investment in cross-border infrastructure such as roads, railways, and digital connectivity. “By combining our efforts and resources, we can turn our continental ambitions into concrete improvements in the daily lives of our people,” he added.
In a move that further signals the DRC’s commitment to institutional engagement within AfCFTA structures, Tshisekedi proposed Kinshasa as a potential host city for any future AfCFTA-related institutions or administrative services. The proposal reflects the DRC’s emerging role as a diplomatic and economic convener in Central Africa and comes amid rising interest in ensuring geographic balance in the location of pan-African institutions.
Speaking alongside the President, Julien Paluku Kahongya, the DRC’s Minister of External Trade, echoed the call for greater cohesion among African economies. He outlined key national strategies underway to facilitate the DRC’s integration into the AfCFTA market. These include a national industrialisation strategy aimed at diversifying the country’s economic base, as well as a comprehensive agricultural transformation agenda designed to enhance food security and export potential.
Paluku also acknowledged the infrastructural gaps that currently inhibit cross-border commerce, particularly in landlocked and remote areas of the DRC. He stressed the importance of regional cooperation in transport and logistics to overcome these barriers, an issue that has been widely acknowledged by the African Union and development partners such as the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The DRC, which boasts vast reserves of strategic minerals and an abundance of arable land, is positioning itself as a key contributor to regional value chains in sectors such as electric battery manufacturing, agro-processing, and construction materials. However, converting this potential into productive trade hinges on achieving policy coherence across borders and ensuring that businesses—particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—can navigate and benefit from AfCFTA protocols.
According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), successful implementation of the AfCFTA could increase intra-African trade by over 50 percent by 2030 and lift millions out of poverty. Yet, this transformation depends significantly on political will, institutional capacity, and private sector engagement—elements that President Tshisekedi described as “indispensable pillars” of continental success.
The Kinshasa ministerial meeting comes at a pivotal juncture for the AfCFTA, as negotiators continue to finalise Phase II and III protocols, including those on investment, competition policy, digital trade, and intellectual property rights. These areas are considered essential to modernising Africa’s trade landscape and ensuring that liberalisation efforts extend beyond tariffs to cover the entire spectrum of cross-border commerce.
The outcome of this latest Council of Ministers meeting will help shape the agenda for the upcoming African Union Summit on Industrialisation and Economic Diversification. It also reinforces the DRC’s ambition to play a more assertive role in the continent’s trade diplomacy and economic governance.
In closing, President Tshisekedi reaffirmed his government’s enduring support for AfCFTA’s objectives and called on all African leaders to intensify cooperation. “Only through unity, mutual respect, and shared purpose can we fulfil the promise of a prosperous Africa for future generations,” he concluded.
