COPAD: More than a business, opportunities...

Under the financing from Trade Mark Africa, the Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the Federation of Enterprises of Congo and the Chamber of Commerce and Employers' Syndicate of South Kivu organized a business forum on July 4, 2023, in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo. Among the participants was the Cooperative for the Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture - COPAD.

Elevated with honor by the Country Representative of Trade Mark Africa, the respective Presidents of the Federal Chambers of Commerce of Burundi and the DR Congo, the governors of the cross-border provinces between Burundi and Congo, and businesspeople from various regions of both countries, the forum was organized to establish a platform for interaction among stakeholders and industrialists from Burundi and Congo. This aimed to provide participants with the opportunity to identify potential business partners and discuss certain issues hindering inter-commercial relations between the two countries.

Geopolitical Business Context

The forum allowed various participants to discuss topics related to tariff and non-tariff barriers governing cross-border trade between the two countries. It also enabled economic operators to highlight and enhance a favorable business environment between Burundi and Congo through B2B meetings.

Given that Burundi and Congo are neighboring countries and belong to the same politico-socio-economic families, the mission of the forum was to strengthen business relations between Burundian and Congolese economic operators to achieve an appropriate trade regime and promote exports and cross-border trade.

A value addition for COPAD

The Cooperative for the Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture had been delegated by the SOPAD consortium for its representation through the Burundi Business Women Association – AFAB.

Mrs. Claudette Nduwayezu, representative of COPAD, emphasizes her vision of promoting the development and empowerment of youth and women, as well as job creation. In this regard, cross-border trade would be an added value for the women and youth groups she represented. The Forum was indeed an opportunity to showcase the processed products sold under the NIKO label. For her, it was a golden opportunity to engage with other economic operators and establish lasting partnership relations. 

She also affirms that the Forum was an opportunity to discuss the challenges faced by businesswomen both in Burundi and Congo, especially regarding the entry and exit of agri-food products.

When another question regarding the measures recommended by administrative leaders and governors of neighboring provinces between Burundi and the DR Congo was raised, solutions were proposed, bringing a sigh of relief for business operators from both countries. 'Congo offers a virgin consumption market and is full of various business opportunities, which could increase the entrepreneurship of young people and women, making business between our two countries both attractive and incentivizing,' confirms Mrs. Claudette Nduwayezu.

An avenue for expanding our activities.

Mrs. Claudette Nduwayezu asserts that her participation in the Forum has increased her willingness to work harder. Her dream was to meet other operators, particularly other women engaged in similar activities. For this reason, she expresses heartfelt gratitude to the Forum organizers, especially acknowledging the determination of Trade Mark Africa to promote exports. She also highlights the resolve to facilitate cross-border trade by administrative authorities and the interventions and proposals of participants to improve the business environment. She is pleased that once tariff and non-tariff barriers are eliminated, the business environment improves, the Simplified Trade Regime (RECOS) is operationalized, and cross-border procedures are simplified, there could be a response to the expansion of commercial activities.

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