Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Friday, April 8, 2022, signed a bilateral agreement on cooperation in the agriculture, livestock, and fisheries sectors.
The objectives of the agreement include promoting increased agricultural productivity in Kenya and DR Congo, encouraging joint investment ventures between respective private entrepreneurs as well as boosting mutually beneficial trade between the two countries.
Some of the key areas of cooperation covered by the agreement include crop development and promotion, agricultural and livestock research, animal health, and production.
Other areas are fisheries, aquaculture and Blue Economy, marketing of agricultural commodities as well as promotion of youth in agriculture programs such as 4K clubs.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his DR Congo counterpart Felix Tshisekedi witnessed the signing of the agreement at State House, Nairobi.
Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amb. Raychelle Omamo signed on the Kenyan side while Ministers Mzinga Birihanze Desire (Agriculture) and Bokele Djema Adrien (Fisheries and Livestock) co-signed on behalf of DR Congo.
The signing of the bilateral agreement came just hours after DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi formally signed a treaty to join the East African Community (EAC) during his visit to Kenya.
“By joining the community, the Congolese people do not only want to be satisfied with the benefits of intra-community trade, but they aspire first and foremost to maintain relations based on peace and security for all,” said Felix Tshisekedi, DR Congo President.
Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya and current Chair of the EAC on his part stressed that DR Congo’s addition would “..strengthen (our) economic muscle and competitiveness, in the continent and as well as globally.”

According to the EAC chair, DR Congo’s admission means the bloc counts for about 300 million people and a GDP of around 250 billion dollars.
The new EAC member state, with over 90 million people, has vast mineral wealth, including diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt as well as other resources but is undergoing a conflict in the eastern part of its country.
Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and now the DRC are part of the EAC. DR Congo had applied for the EAC membership in 2019 and counts on this integration to give it access to better trade deals in the region and free movement of people within the community.