On Friday, November 21, in Kinshasa, a meeting of capital importance took place in the office of the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the National Economy, Daniel Mukoko Samba. This meeting brought together members of the Federation of Congolese Enterprises (FEC), major importers, a representative of the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF), as well as executives of the ministry. The objective of this meeting was to implement, as soon as possible, the government decree on the reduction of prices of eight basic necessities. Indeed, following the publication in the official journal of Decree No. 24/07 of September 19, suspending the collection of value added tax and reducing the rates of duties, taxes and fees on essential food products, this technical meeting aimed to gather the opinions of all stakeholders, validate tax credits in relation to existing stocks, and reach a conclusion with all parties concerned so that these measures are implemented by December.
The Deputy Prime Minister stressed the commitment of the President of the Republic, Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi, to ensure that his fellow citizens spend the end-of-year holidays in favorable conditions, as well as his wish to see these measures implemented quickly.
The decree, signed by the Prime Minister, had already been made enforceable against all after its publication in the official journal. Renowned companies and importers such as Beltexco, Afrifood, SoKIN, Premium Foods, Mondiale Food, and GMK were involved in this process.
The General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) was involved in this work and is tasked with certifying existing physical stocks, acquired at full rates, but which will be subject to the application of the government decree. The work started at this meeting will continue until the effective implementation of these measures.
In addition, the issue of small retailers was discussed, and the Deputy Prime Minister indicated that discussions will take place the following week to resolve the conflict between wholesalers and retailers. He stressed the importance of respect for each party in order to reach a mutually satisfactory solution.
This meeting demonstrates the government’s commitment to the well-being of the population and the desire to guarantee accessibility to basic necessities at affordable prices for all. The next steps will be crucial to fulfilling this commitment and ensuring a favorable climate during the end-of-year holidays.