Ban on foreign currency reversed

Meanwhile, the DRC government has reversed a decree outlawing the use of foreign currencies in the country, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday. A statement by the Central Bank said it would now be possible to buy and sell using national or foreign currencies in designated free exchange zones, including commercial centres and mining areas. The government banned foreign currencies last year in a bid to stabilise the economy shattered by war, corruption and mismanagement, AP said. However, the move added to the downward economic spiral, scaring off foreign investors and leaving hard currencies in short supply, the news agency noted.