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DRC concerned about Africa leaders blocking borders
Friday November 03 2023
Nation Media Group CEO Stephen Gitagama speaks with participants at the East African Entrepreneurship Conference & Expo organised by NMG in Kinshasa on Nov 1, 2023. PHOTO | POOL
The Democratic Republic of Congo has challenged African political leaders to stop “imprisoning” their citizens by blocking borders over political differences, as this is a barrier to intra-Africa trade.
DRC Information and Communication Minister Patrick Muyaya says politicians should facilitate building of bridges with neighbours rather than erecting blockades.
“The DRC joined the East African Community to connect with the region. Even before we joined the EAC, we used to get food from Uganda. We would like politicians to stop being prisoners of past ideals and embrace the spirit of cooperation to build the sub-region before we go out to trade with Africa and the world,” the minister said.
He was making the keynote address at the East African Entrepreneurship Conference & Expo organised by the Nation Media Group in Kinshasa. The event focuses on connecting and positioning African entrepreneurs for growth.
The DRC and Rwanda in June last year closed their common border in a diplomatic tiff between the two neighbours triggered by an escalation of the rebellion by the M23 armed group in eastern Congo.
DRC accuses Kigali of fomenting the violence by supporting the M23 while Rwanda says Kinshasa supports FDLR, a hostile group that seeks regime change in Kigali.
Both deny the accusations, although UN experts have substantiated them. The Congolese minister’s sentiments were echoed by the Kenyan ambassador to the DRC, George Masafu, Nation Media Group CEO Stephen Gitagama and Congolese Senator Nzazi Lelo.
NMG is using its convening power as a media company to explore investment opportunities in the DRC and the greater East Africa as part of a broader effort to promote regional integration and trade.
“Our regional paper, The EastAfrican, was born out of the need to start in-depth conversations across borders. However, there is nothing quite like stepping on to the soil to find the unique, mysterious and out-of-the-box story angles. Where better to find these if not in a country of over 100 million people that borders nine countries?” Mr Gitagama said.
