Zambia and Congo have reopened their border after settling a trade dispute between the countries which led to Zambia closing the border over the weekend.
“The Zambian party informed the Congolese party that the border will be reopened to allow the free movement of people and goods between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Zambia,” said the ministers of commerce of the two countries in a joint statement.
Chipoka Mulenga, Zambia’s commerce, trade and industry minister, also met with Congolese officials in Lubumbashi near the border.
On Sunday, Zambia declared the closure of its border with its northern neighbour following Congo’s prohibition on the import of soft drinks and beer from Zambia. This led to demonstrations by Congolese truck drivers near the town of Kasumbalesa at the border. Zambian business groups also criticised the ban.
The Zambian Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) expressed concerns that this could establish an unfavourable pattern for future trade relations.
Zambia’s closure of its border put Congo’s mineral exports at risk. The landlocked country is rich in gold, copper, and cobalt in its eastern region, much of which passes through Zambia on its way to the coast for shipping.
Congo is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, a mineral in high demand for its use in the batteries that power electric vehicles, smartphones, and computers.
Zambia is an important entry point for Congo’s imports.
The Congo trade ministry stated that it had not received a formal complaint from Zambia before the border closure and expressed concern about the decision. It hoped that the discussions in Lubumbashi would lead to “a lasting solution.”