Trade between Kenya and DRC is expected to rise following a Congolese delegation’s tour of the Northern Transport Corridor last week.
The delegation comprised representatives from the Office of Multimodal Freight Management (OGEFREM), Congolese Business Federation (FEC), Office of the Governor for North Kivu, Kivu Mineral Resources, and Association Congollaise De Commissaires Agrees en Dounane (ACCAD)- Freight Forwarders.
The delegation toured the Port of Mombasa, the Inland Container Depot Nairobi (ICDN) and the Naivasha Dry Port.
KPA acting Managing Director John Mwangemi welcomed the visit, noting that the region’s economic fortunes depended on the robustness and efficiency of the shipping transport and logistics industry which support international trade.
He added that this was the justification for the accelerated investments by the Kenya Ports Authority in port infrastructure projects, as port facilities are the start and end of the logistics supply chains.
Underscoring the close ties that Kenya has maintained with DRC, including spearheading and fast-tracking DRC’s entry into the East Africa Community, Brigadier (Rtd) Jossiah Mrashui, the Consular General of the Consulate of the Republic of Kenya, said the focus is to expand economic opportunities for shared prosperity of both countries.
This, he noted, could be through the generation of efficiencies in export-import trade that will scale up and nurture regional value chains across sectors.
“I am convinced that we will be able to unlock the vast potential of this northern corridor through the multimodal transport arteries,” Jossiah Mrashui.
