Several years after the Democratic Republic of Congo formally joined the East African Community, analysts say practical integration — from trade facilitation to institutional participation — remains a work in progress.
Structural Challenges
Infrastructure gaps, ongoing security concerns in eastern DRC, and the sheer scale of harmonizing DRC's regulatory systems with existing EAC frameworks have all slowed the pace of integration compared to earlier accessions.
Kenyan trade officials note that DRC represents a substantial potential market, but say tangible trade growth will depend on infrastructure investment and stability in the country's eastern regions.
