Despite the appreciation of the Congolese franc on the foreign exchange market, the prices of food and basic necessities in Kinshasa remain high, according to a reporter from Radio Okapi who visited various markets in the capital. This finding is particularly valid for sugar, which has not seen its price fall.
Market sellers explain this situation by pointing to the volatility of the exchange rate, which varies between 25,000 and 26,000 Congolese francs for 10 USD, making it difficult to lower prices. Some traders believe that it will still take some time for prices to stabilize.
Faced with this problem, the economic analyst Al Kitenge recommends favoring local production in order to stabilize prices on the market. According to him, this would allow the Congolese economy to become less dependent on imports and strengthen the value of the Congolese franc.
The inhabitants of Kinshasa, for their part, want the situation to normalize quickly, especially before the next school year.
It is important to note that despite the appreciation of the Congolese franc, the prices of food and basic necessities remain high in Kinshasa. Solutions such as the promotion of local production are suggested to stabilize market prices