The UAE and the Democratic Republic of Congo have strengthened bilateral economic relations with the signing of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on Monday, aimed at lowering tariffs and removing key trade barriers.
Beyond trade facilitation, the agreement is expected to boost investment flows and unlock new avenues for private sector collaboration across priority sectors such as mining, agriculture and clean energy.
The agreement was signed at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed stated that the agreement represents an important milestone in UAE–DRC relations and underscores the UAE’s ongoing commitment to building effective and sustainable development partnerships.
He further expressed optimism that the CEPA would significantly advance economic cooperation between the two countries by increasing trade and investment activity and supporting shared economic growth.
The agreement was signed by Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, and Julien Paluku Kahongya, Minister for International Trade of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
With a GDP of approximately USD 70.75 billion, the DRC ranks among Africa’s ten largest economies. As a global leader in cobalt production and a key supplier of critical minerals essential to the electric vehicle and energy transition industries, the country presents a strategic gateway for expanding trade across Central and Eastern Africa.
