Zambia's trade minister plans to meet with officials from the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday to address a dispute that resulted in the weekend closure of their shared border, disrupting exports from the world's second-largest copper producer.
This development comes just a few months after both countries signed a cooperation agreement under the Southern African Development Community (SADC), aiming to make cross-border trade easier.
Chipoka Mulenga, Zambia's minister of commerce, trade, and industry, announced plans to meet with senior Congolese officials in Lubumbashi, Bloomberg reported.
The discussions will focus on Congo's recent ban on imports of Zambian beer, soft drinks, and lime, imposed nearly two weeks ago. According to Mulenga, border crossings could reopen within hours if an agreement is reached.
Nearly all of Congo's copper production, which exceeded over 2.8 million tons last year, typically travels by road through Zambia en route to regional ports in Tanzania, South Africa, and Namibia.
The journey can take over a month, and the line of trucks waiting at the main Kasumbalesa border crossing between Zambia and Congo sometimes extends more than 30 miles (48 kilometres).
Zambia closed the border to protect truck drivers after protests erupted in Congo following the government's ban on beverage and lime imports, which are used in copper processing. Congo implemented the ban after starting its own production, according to Mulenga.
"It wasn't about trade, but safety," Mulenga said of the closure that the government announced Saturday. "Trucks were being damaged, drivers were being beaten."
The disruption poses a serious threat to jobs, the Zambia Association of Manufacturers said in a statement on Monday. The group expressed deep concern over Congo's unilateral decision to impose a 12-month ban on imports of the affected products.
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