DRC RESPONSE TO USTIC STUDY

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000752 SIPDIS PASS TO USITC TO L. SCHLITT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD OTRA ASEC CG SUBJECT: DRC RESPONSE TO USTIC STUDY ON SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA REF: STATE 85109 07 KINSHASA 592 KINSHASA 406 07 KINSHASA 1133 KINSHASA 402 ¶1. (U) This cable responds to items requested in paragraph five of reftel A. Post will respond septel to items in paragraphs six and seven. ¶2. (U) Infrastructure is one of the GDRC's five priority areas under its five-year development plan approved in early 2007. However, information on the effects of infrastructure conditions on export competitiveness in the DRC is generally difficult to obtain, with few public sources or studies. POC for the study at Embassy Kinshasa is Economic Officer Christopher Corkey, email: CorkeyCT@state.gov. ¶3. (U) Electricity is controlled by DRC parastatal Societe National d'Electricite (SNEL),and transportation infrastructure is maintained and controlled by GDRC Ministries. Reftels B and C provide background on SNEL, and reftels D and E provide additional information on the infrastructural challenges in the DRC. ¶4. (U) Agricultural production remains largely subsistence farming, with little formal commercialized activities. Mining overwhelmingly represents the DRC's most important export sector. Several U.S. and other multinational firms are actively engaged in the exportation of copper and cobalt ore, gold, diamonds, coltan and cassiterite. Some multinational firms have shown interest in revitalizing the natural rubber sector, but the former rubber plantations are still largely latent. The tourism sector is undeveloped with no significant investments. ¶5. (U) Due to the difficulty in obtaining general information, post recommends USITC contact the POC at Embassy Kinshasa with specific questions on U.S. companies or government agencies. GARVELINK