Brazzaville imports US $43 million of goods yearly from DRC

The Republic of Congo imports some US $43 million worth of merchandise from neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) each year, AFP quoted a Ministry of Commerce official as saying on Thursday in Brazzaville. He said most of the goods consisted of soap, palm oil, sugar, cement and medicines. Cement accounts for the greatest share of imports with 168,000 mt of the commodity bought between January and September. "We buy practically everything from Kinshasa," Patrice Lambert Tsaty, the director of external trade in the ministry, said. Congo Republic exports $14.36 million worth of goods annually, mostly wheat flour, canned milk and shoes to the DRC. AFP reported that people in the DRC prefer to sell their goods to ROC because of the stability of its CFA franc, as opposed to the DRC's franc. Both Congos share a common border at least 1,500 km long. Their capitals, Brazzaville and Kinshasa are separated by a short river crossing.