At the heart of the fight against customs fraud and smuggling, the Kasumbalesa border post, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is undergoing unprecedented modernization. Under the leadership of the President of the Republic, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, the authorities of the General Directorate of Customs and Excise (DGDA) inaugurated a new customs building as well as additional infrastructure, with the aim of maximizing revenues of the State and improve border crossing conditions.
This new set of infrastructures includes a modern building of 2,600 square meters, equipped with all the equipment necessary for the proper functioning of the customs post. At the same time, an 8-kilometer reinforced concrete bypass road was built, as well as bonded warehouses, parking lots to accommodate 1,500 trucks and housing for customs officers.
This modernization was made possible thanks to a partnership between the DGDA and the Congolese company TRAFIGO SARL, managed by Madame Magalie Kayitesa Raway. This Congolese entrepreneur put in place a reliable and secure system for maximizing customs revenue, which allowed the DGDA to see its revenue increase significantly from the first year of implementation.
Thanks to this system, based on efficient customs tax and fee traceability software, the DGDA can now receive payments for cross-border crossings in real time. This secure channeling of state revenues has not only made it possible to increase the resources necessary for the development of the Haut-Katanga region, but it also constitutes an example of an effective fight against customs fraud in the sub-region.
This initiative to modernize the Kasumbalesa border post demonstrates President Tshisekedi’s commitment to Congolese female entrepreneurship. By encouraging women like Magalie Kayitesa Raway to develop innovative solutions to maximize state revenue, the president has given a positive boost to entrepreneurship in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
This success also makes it possible to consider duplicating this model in other customs posts in the country, in order to facilitate cross-border trade and boost the economic development of the entire southern African region.
In conclusion, the modernization of the Kasumbalesa post represents an important step in the fight against customs fraud and the maximization of state revenues in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Thanks to an innovative public-private partnership and the strategic vision of President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, this initiative shows that Congolese female entrepreneurship can play a key role in the country’s economic development.