(Bloomberg) -- Zambia resumed trade with Democratic Republic of Congo Tuesday after state officials met to resolve a trade spat that led to Lusaka closing the nations’ border, blocking exports from the world’s second-biggest copper producer.
Congo’s move to ban imports of beer, soft drinks and lime last month sparked protests on its side of the frontier. That prompted Zambia to announce the border closure Saturday, saying the move was for the safety of transport drivers who were being attacked.
“The borders are opened,” Zambian Trade Minister Chipoka Mulenga said by phone Tuesday. “We had a very good dialog with our brothers in the Democratic Republic of Congo.”
Congo produced more than 2.8 million tons of copper last year, almost all of which typically travels through Zambia to reach regional ports in Namibia, South Africa and Tanzania. The main Kasumbalesa crossing between Zambia and Congo is one of the busiest in southern Africa, and queues of lorries can stretch for more than 30 miles (48 kilometers) at times.
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Mulenga had traveled to the southern Congo city of Lubumbashi Monday to meet his counterpart and resolve the issue. Each country raised their concerns, and agreed to set up committees of officials from both sides to deal with any future trade issues before they escalate, he said.
Congo is Zambia’s third-biggest export destination, accounting for almost 11% of the total. That amounted to about $103 million in June, according to official statistics.
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