DRC reports higher first-half exports under AGOA, led by copper

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The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ministry of External Trade reported on 5 October that exports under the US African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) totalled US$1.04 billion in January–June 2026, compared with US$903.1 million in the first half of 2025. The ministry described the export value as higher and ranked the DRC first among sub-Saharan African exporters under the programme.

The bulletin says refined copper cathodes and cathode sections accounted for nearly 99.9% of DRC exports under AGOA. It also reports that the country exported 14 of about 6,800 products eligible under the programme during 2021–2025. The figures describe trade values and product mix; the bulletin does not give shipment tonnage or establish a change in mine output.