The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Multimodal Freight Management Office (OGEFREM) has secured title deeds for a 70-hectare site designated for a dry port in Kalamba-Mbuji, a border village in Kasaï-Central near Angola. The official handover took place on February 10.
“We’ve obtained a pivotal document—our concession deed—putting an end to all speculation,” stated Jean Mukuluboy Kelemwanga, OGEFREM’s Director of General Services. He emphasized that this marks a significant milestone in advancing the dry port project.
The Kalamba-Mbuji dry port is expected to enhance trade between the DRC and Angola by providing a direct link between Kasaï-Central and Angolan seaports, particularly Lobito.
However, key regulatory steps remain, including feasibility studies, securing a building permit, obtaining financing, and selecting a service provider—similar to the process undertaken for the Kasumbalesa dry port in Haut-Katanga.
Simultaneously, efforts are underway to upgrade the 230 km Kalamba-Mbuji-Kananga road, which will improve access from central DRC to southern Africa.
The $300 million project, funded under the Sino-Congolese agreement, resumed in July 2024 and is expected to take 24 months to complete.
Additionally, the African Development Bank approved $165 million in November 2022 to finance the asphalting of the Mbuji-Mayi-Kananga-Kalamba-Mbuji road in the DRC and the Dundo-Shikolondo road in Angola.
Trade between the DRC and Angola totaled over $130 million in 2023, with Angola exporting $127 million worth of goods, while the DRC’s exports amounted to just $3.16 million, according to OEC World data.
The development of the dry port and supporting infrastructure aims to improve trade balance and strengthen economic ties between the two nations.
