The Minister of Foreign Trade of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Julien Paluku, paid a visit to the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania on September 19, 2026. This trip aimed to assess the conditions under which Congolese cargo is handled at the port. Paluku was accompanied by officials from Congolese public services deployed in Tanzania, including the General Directorate of Customs and Excise, the Office for the Management of Multimodal Freight, and the Centre of Expertise, Evaluation, and Certification.
During the visit, Tanzanian port authorities presented the performance recorded in handling freight. They reported that the Democratic Republic of the Congo accounts for half of the transit freight at the Dar es Salaam port. The processing time for Congolese freight has been significantly reduced to two days, down from around ten days previously. Paluku expressed satisfaction with the information provided, noting that this model could inspire the modernization of Congolese port infrastructure.
A key concern raised during the visit was the tracking of cargo destined for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Paluku requested that the Dar es Salaam port authorities strengthen interconnection with Congolese public services stationed in Tanzania. This would enable Congolese services to regularly monitor cargo in transit to its destination. The minister emphasized that this coordination is crucial in minimizing the risks of cargo disappearance or diversion.
The experience gained at the Dar es Salaam port is expected to inform the modernization of Congolese port infrastructure. Paluku cited the project to build a deep-water port in Banana, in the Kongo Central province, and the modernization of other ports in the country. He noted that an upcoming bilateral trade agreement will define the modalities of collaboration between services to maximize the benefits of commercial traffic between Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The port of Dar es Salaam has a total quay length of approximately 2,600 meters. The Tanzanian experience offers valuable insights for the Democratic Republic of the Congo in areas such as freight handling, cargo tracking, and infrastructure modernization. These lessons will be applied to enhance commercial exchanges with the rest of the world. The visit took place as Kinshasa and Dodoma have committed to concluding a bilateral trade agreement within 90 days.
Paluku's visit is part of efforts to improve the coordination of cross-border trade. The minister aims to establish a more efficient and secure transit system for Congolese freight. By strengthening interconnection with Congolese public services, the government hopes to prevent cargo diversion or loss. This move is expected to boost economic cooperation between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania are set to strengthen their commercial ties through a bilateral trade agreement. The agreement will facilitate the exchange of goods and services between the two countries. By modernizing port infrastructure and improving cargo tracking, the Democratic Republic of the Congo aims to increase its commercial exchanges with the rest of the world.
Key points
- DR Congo's Minister of Foreign Trade Julien Paluku visits Dar es Salaam port to secure transit of Congolese freight.
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo accounts for half of the transit freight at the Dar es Salaam port.
- The processing time for Congolese freight at the Dar es Salaam port has been reduced to two days.
