Zambia and Congo have resolved their trade dispute and agreed to reopen their border on Monday.
This comes after Zambia closed the border over the weekend due to tensions related to trade issues between the nations.
The ministers of commerce from both countries released a joint statement confirming that the Zambian side will reopen the border, enabling free movement of goods and people between the two nations.
Zambia’s commerce minister, Chipoka Mulenga, met Congolese officials in Lubumbashi, near the border, to address the issue.
The closure was triggered by Congo’s ban on Zambian soft drinks.
The ban on Zambian soft drinks sparked protests by Congolese truckers near Kasumbalesa, while Zambian business groups criticized the move.
The Zambia Association of Manufacturers warned it could set a harmful trade precedent.
Congo, the world’s largest cobalt producer, relies on Zambia for exports, and the closure posed a threat to its mineral trade.
Congo’s trade ministry sought lasting solutions in the Lubumbashi talks.
