The UAE and the Democratic Republic of Congo have formalised economic ties through signing a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on Monday that aims to reduce tariffs and eliminate trade barriers.
The agreement will also enhance investment flows and create opportunities for private sector collaboration across key sectors, including mining, agriculture, and clean energy.
The signing took place at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi with the attendance of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Félix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed affirmed that the agreement marks a significant milestone in the bilateral relations between the two nations and reflects the UAE’s consistent approach to building effective development partnerships.
He also expressed his hope that the agreement would mark a major step forward in economic cooperation between the UAE and DRC by boosting trade and investment flows and stimulating mutual growth.
The CEPA was signed by Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, and Julien Paluku Kahongya, Minister for International Trade of the DRC.
The DRC’s GDP stands at approximately USD 70.75 billion, making it one of Africa’s top ten economies. With its position as a world-leading producer of cobalt and a major source of essential minerals for the electric vehicle and energy transition sectors, the DRC offers a strategic entry point for expanding trade across Central and Eastern Africa.
UAE-DRC non-oil trade reached USD 2.9 billion in the first nine months of 2025, marking a 16.1 per cent increase year-on-year. As bilateral trade continues to grow, the CEPA is poised to strengthen economic cooperation, facilitate cross-border investments, and empower small and medium-sized enterprises in both countries.
This agreement is another valuable addition to the UAE’s ambitious foreign trade agenda, which aims to boost non-oil foreign trade to USD 1.1 trillion by 2031.
The CEPA programme, with over 30 agreements concluded and 14 in force, highlights the UAE’s dedication to fostering open and rules-based global trade that will drive economic growth and diversification.
The UAE and DRC presidents also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on investment cooperation in the mining sector, as well as an MoU between the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy and the Congolese Diplomatic Academy under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and the Francophonie of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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