The Congolese Minister of Foreign Trade, Julien Paluku Kahongya, denounced this Wednesday during a press conference in Kinshasa the dubious practices of certain neighboring countries that export to the DRC products of questionable quality, sometimes exclusively intended for export. He stressed the urgency of modernizing the control capacities of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to protect Congolese consumers.
According to the minister, several countries in the region use the DRC as a “dumping ground” for products that are not consumed locally. He mentioned the existence of products labeled “for export only” that are only available on the Congolese market. “We must ask ourselves the question, is it really because we are loved that they come to us for export or because the content of this product is completely different?” he declared, questioning the quality of the products exported to the DRC.
Faced with this situation, Julien Paluku insisted on the need to strengthen the Congolese Control Office (OCC), the body responsible for verifying the quality, quantity and conformity of imported products. He announced his ambition to modernize this institution by building six ultra-modern, internationally accredited laboratories. These laboratories, he said, will be essential to ensure that imported products meet international standards and to protect Congolese consumers.
“At the end of my time at the head of this ministry, I must have built at least six ultra-modern laboratories,” said the minister, stressing the importance of these infrastructures for the DRC’s international trade.
This modernization of the OCC is part of a broader strategy aimed at ensuring that the DRC is no longer a destination for lower quality products, while strengthening its position on the international trade scene.
/actualité.cd
2024-08-19 18:48:16
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