Traders shun ‘corrupt’ DRC – political tensions aside

To what extent are political tensions
in the Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC) affecting traders and logistics
service providers?
That was the question that FTW
put to the forwarding industry – and
according to two executive contacts,
they pulled out of business with
the DRC years back. “It’s a hotbed
of corruption,” said one, “and the
infrastructure, both human and
material, is almost invisible. Doing
sound business with the DRC is near
impossible. And it’s in such a poor
state that business there is minimal.”
“It’s copper out and food in,” said
the other. “That’s about it for DRC’s
contribution to two-way trade.
There’s just nothing there for us to
get our teeth into. And I don’t think
there are too many agencies doing
any business there. So, political
tensions or not, I wouldn’t say there’s
much impact on the forwarding
industry.”
The latest trouble in DRC started
in 2015, when major protests broke
out across the country about the
continued presidency of Joseph
Kabila. They demanded that he step
down.
He was constitutionally barred
from participating in the planned
2016 elections, but these haven’t yet
come off.
Last November, it was announced
that no elections would be held
in 2016, after president Kabila’s
term of office ended on December
20. But he still hasn’t shifted, and
public dissatisfaction has continued
mounting – with dozens of protesters
killed and hundreds arrested.