A delegation of officials from DR Congo is in Kigali for a two-day technical meeting with their Rwandan counterparts to discuss ways of improving a list of common trade products between the two countries that are eligible under the COMESA Simplified Trade Regime (STR). 

The discussions are expected to come up with a list of acceptable goods that can be traded by both countries at the border, products under the accepted non-taxable goods.

They will also look at various mechanisms that can be used to ease trade barriers for small scale traders.

The meeting is among COMESA’s programmes to facilitate acceptable trading partners between the two countries as well as to tackle various challenges small scale traders encounter while transacting businesses.

The delegation from COMESA is headed by its senior trade officer, Tasara Muzorori.

Robert Opirah, the director-general of trade and investment at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, said the meeting is expected to come up with resolutions that will ease small scale trade across the two borders.

Rwandan traders being taxed on non-taxable goods was cited among the main challenges that they seek to address.

Opirah urged all cross border traders to register, saying it eases the process of following up their cases in case of problems.

In order for trade to develop, the ministry continually sensitises small scale traders to join cooperatives so that they are registered and known, according to the official.

The ministry plans to construct markets for small scale traders at all border posts, he said.

"These markets are not like high-end commercial markets that you see in Kigali, these are low-scale markets that will be constructed to facilitate small scale traders to grow their businesses. Besides, if you want to develop trade, you can’t begin with large scale traders but those who still need our support,” Opirah said.

Jean Jacques Chiribagula Ntwali, head of the Congolese delegation and an investment advisor in the Kinshasa government’s ministry of commerce, said they visited border posts in Rubavu and realised that small scale traders face challenges such as paying to get their good across the border, which hinders business growth.

He added that the meeting would help them come to an understanding with their Rwandan counterparts on what goods to be accepted as part of STR.

Chiribagula also said that his country has also engaged in such discussions with Zambia and they will be heading to Burundi after Rwanda.

He said if both sides come to an agreement, then it will be up to their respective trade ministries to sign a memorandum of understanding.

More than 15,000 small scale traders are in cooperatives, with at least 50,000 engaged in small scale trade across the border.

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