The aim of the ITI is to increase exports of the South Africa value-added goods to the DRC market

The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) will lead a delegation of twenty-nine businesspeople to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for the 8th Investment and Trade Initiative (ITI) scheduled to take place in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi from 6-11 November 2017. The aim of the ITI is to increase exports of the South Africa value-added goods to the DRC market.

According to the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Rob Davies, the objective of the ITI is also to increase bilateral trade and investment between South Africa and the DRC. He says the ITI will afford South African companies the opportunity to interface with their Congolese counterparts in an endeavour to forge partnerships and joint-ventures.

“South Africa and DRC have the potential to trade at an optimal level in different sectors of the economy especially beneficiation and manufacturing. There is still work that needs to be done in terms of further strengthening commercial and investment relations and focusing on new collaboration and trade partnerships in key areas of the economies of the markets, and we are optimistic that the ITI will provide that platform,” says Davies.

Sectors targeted for the ITI are agro-processing, built environment. mining capital equipment, energy, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment. The programme for the ITI will include business seminars, roundtable discussions, site visits and business-to-business meetings.

Bilateral trade between South Africa and the DRC increased from R8 billion in 2011 to R12.7 billion in 2016.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Department of Trade and Industry, South Africa.