Republic of the Congo WT/TPR/S/169 
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                                                     I. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 
(1) MAIN FEATURES OF THE ECONOMY  
1. The Congo covers an area of 342,000 km2, of which 60 per cent is forest and 40 per cent 
savannah.  To the west, the Congo has a coastline ex tending for 180 km on the Atlantic Ocean with a 
sub-equatorial climate, whereas the climate in th e north is tropical.  The Congo has borders with 
Gabon to the west, Cameroon and the Central African  Republic to the north, the Democratic Republic 
of the Congo (DRC) to the east, and with Angola to the south.  With the exception of Angola and the 
DRC, all its neighbouring countries belong to the Central African Economic and Monetary 
Community (CEMAC), and share the objective of establishing a customs union.  In 2005, the Congo's 
population was estimated to be 3.39 million, of whic h the majority lived in urban areas (mainly the 
capital, Brazzaville, and Pointe-Noire). 
2. Since 2002, the Congo's political situation has stabilized following a decade of civil wars that 
caused substantial damage to the infrastructure and to the population and hampered its economic 
performance.  According to the UNDP, in 2003 the Congo ranked 142nd (out of  177 countries) in the 
human development index;  average life expectancy was 52 years and 83 per cent of the adult 
population was literate.1  The Congo's gross domestic product (GDP) at market prices was estimated 
to be around US$5.828 billion in 2005 (Table I.1)2, corresponding to per capita GDP of 
approximately US$1,719 in 2005, well above th e threshold set for least developed countries.3  
Nevertheless, this relativ ely high per capita GDP masks the fact that around one half of the population 
lives below the poverty line, according to a study of m onetary poverty in households conducted by the 
Congolese authorities in connection with the finali zation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper 
(PRSP).4 
3. The economy of the Republic of the Congo is main ly based on the exploitation of its natural 
resources, particularly petroleum, which accounted for over half of its GDP in 2005 (Table I.1) and 
for 90 per cent of export earnings in 2004 (Table AI.3).  The leading role played by mining and 
quarrying tends to overlay the relative importance of other activities in the Congolese economy, 
particularly in terms of jobs.  For example, th e exploitation of the Congo's forestry resources only 
accounted for 1 per cent of the GDP in 2003, but empl oyed 11 per cent of the labour force.  Because 
of supply constraints (for example, the poor state of the transport infrastructure, the non-availability of 
inputs such as electricity, and a financial system that mainly focuses on import-export activities), the 
manufacturing sector's contribution to  GDP formation is still modest. 
4. Services, especially trade and transport, represented some 28 per cent of the Congo's GDP in 
2005.  One of the Congo's major comparative ad vantages is the Pointe-Noire Autonomous Port 
(PAPN), a deep-water port from which hydrocarbons ar e shipped; the PAPN could in the future allow 
the Congo to play an important role in transit trade in the subregion.  However, the infrastructure needed to take full advantage of the port, for exampl e, the road and rail networks - where they exist - 
are in a poor state.  Upgrading these infrastructures is a pivotal component of State action, according to the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (I-PRSP).
5 
 
1 UNDP (2005). 
2 The estimate of the GDP takes into account the informal sector. 
3 "The Criteria for the Identification of the LDCs".  Available at:  http://www.un.org/special-rep/ohrlls/ 
ldc/ldc%20criteria.htm. 
4 Government of the Congo, Ministry of Planning, Land Use Management, Economic Integration and 
NEPAD (2006). 
5 Republic of the Congo, National Poverty Reduction Committee (2004). WT/TPR/S/169 Trade Policy Review 
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Table I.1 
The Republic of the Co ngo in figures, 1998-2005 
 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005a
Population (million)b2.83 2.90 2.98 3.05 3.13 3.21 3.30 3.39 
Total GDP (US$ million) 1,952 2,357 3,234 2,792 3,021 3,541 4,331 5,828 
Per capita GDP (US$) 690 813 1,085 916 965 1,103 1,312 1,719 
Share of GDP at current prices (percentage) 
Agriculture, livestock, hunting, 
fishing and forestry 11.0 8.4 5.3 5.8 6.3 6.5 5.9 5.4 
Mining and quarrying, energy and 
water 37.8 54.0 66.2 57.3 54.4 51.3 53.6 58.0 
Manufacturing 7.0 5.5 3.5 4.5 5.3 5.9 5.4 6.1 
Services: 40.0 29.7 22.7 28.6 30.6 33.2 32.1 27.9 
   Construction and public works 1.3 1.8 2.5 3.6 3.6 4.2 4.0 3.2 
   Trade, restaurants and hotels 12.1 8.1 6.0 7.0 8.0 8.6 8.2 7.7 
   Transport and communications 6.8 5.0 3.8 5.4 5.9 6.1 5.9 5.5 
   Other tradable services 9.4 6.4 4.9 5.9 6.1 7.1 7.3 5.9 
   Government authorities 10.4 8.4 5.5 6.7 7.0 7.2 6.7 5.6 
Import duties and taxes 4.3 2.5 2.3 3.8 3.4 3.2 3.0 2.6 
Petroleum GDP 36.5 53.4 65.5 56.6 53.5 50.4 52.8 57.2 
Non-petroleum GDP 63.5 46.6 34.5 43.4 46.5 49.6 47.2 42.8 
Number of employees by activity (percentage)c
Agriculture, livestock, hunting, 
fishing and forestry .. .. 19.5 20.8 22.9 22.5 .. .. 
Mining and quarrying, energy and 
water .. .. 9.8 10.3 9.7 9.8 .. .. 
Manufacturing .. .. 16.2 16.4 17.6 17.9 .. .. 
Services: .. .. 54.4 52.5 49.8 49.8 .. .. 
   Construction and public works .. .. 6.6 5.9 6 6.1 .. .. 
   Trade, restaurants and hotels .. .. 15.7 15.3 14.4 14.3 .. .. 
   Transport and communications .. .. 26.8 25.7 24 21.5 .. .. 
   Other tradable services .. .. 5.3 5.6 5.4 7.9 .. .. 
.. Not available. 
a Provisional figures. 
b Estimates. 
c Excluding those working in the informal sector. 
Source:  Congolese authorities. 
 
5. The Republic of the Congo is a member of the Central African Monetary Union (UMAC), 
whose body of existing texts has been incorporat ed into the CEMAC (Chapter II(3)(ii)(c)).  The 
members of the UMAC have common monetary and exchange policies administered by the Bank of 
Central African States (BEAC), which is a UMAC institution.6  The monetary unit, the CFA franc 
(franc of Financial Cooperation in Central Africa), is anchored to the euro at a fixed parity:  
CFAF 1,000 = €1.524.7 
                                                      
6 Monetary cooperation between the UMAC member co untries and France dates back to the colonial 
era.  It was formalized in 1959 an d a new treaty was signed in 1973.  The BEAC is the result of the monetary 
cooperation agreement signed with France on 22 November  1972, supplemented by the transactions account 
convention of 1973. 
7 The CFA franc was anchored to the French franc at a fixed parity (adjusted in 1994) until 
1 January 1999, when the euro was introduced, but this did not entail any substantive change as regards the Republic of the Congo WT/TPR/S/169 
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6. On 1 June 1996, the Congo accepted Article VIII of the IMF's Articles of Agreement.8  The 
major common exchange restriction imposed by th e CEMAC member countries concerns the outflow 
of capital to third countries not members of the CE MAC, which is subject to administrative controls 
(backed up by substantiating documents) by the Ministry responsible for finance and the BEAC.9  
Export transactions must be declared to the Mi nistry responsible for finance and transactions 
involving an amount exceeding CFAF 5 million must  be domiciled with a bank approved by the 
CEMAC.  Export earnings must be repatriated w ithin 30 days following the conclusion of the 
transaction and surrendered to the Central Bank. 
(2) RECENT ECONOMIC TRENDS10 
7. Between 1997 and 2001, the Congo's ec onomic performance was uneven, inter alia , because 
of the civil wars afflicting the country (Table I.2).  Since political stabilization in 2002, growth in real 
GDP has depended above all on performance in the mining industry, in other words, the cycle of exploitation and depletion of offshore oil deposits and the development of new wells (Chapter IV(3)(ii)).  According to preliminary est imates, in 2005, the rate of growth in the Congo's 
real GDP (some 7.9 per cent) was related to the 14.6 per cent upswing in the mining and quarrying, 
energy and water subsector (Table I.2), together w ith the steady performance of the agricultural sector 
(including livestock, hunting, fishing and forestry).  Annual growth in real GDP was some 3.7 per cent on average over the period 1998-2005, while the av erage annual rate of demographic growth was 
2.8 per cent, which explains the slow increase in per capita real GDP between 1998 and 2005. 
Table I.2 
Main economic indicators, 1998-2005 
 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005a
National accounts (annual trend in percentage)  
Real GDP 3.7 -2.7 7.6 3.8 4.6 0.8 3.6 7.9 
Agriculture, livestock, hunting, 
fishing and forestry 1.7 -6.5 4.4 8 8.6 6.3 7.5 6.2 
Mining and quarrying, energy and 
water 6.4 4.4 -0.4 -7.3 -1.3 -7.0 0.5 14.6 
Manufacturing 2.0 -6.9 13.3 23.5 17.0 10.0 8.1 7.1 
Services: -1.0 -6.1 22.5 10.4 8.3 5.8 4.3 1.3 
   Construction and public works -8.7 38.1 74.7 12.5 0.6 3.0 3.5 -24.9 
   Trade, restaurants and hotels 1.7 -16.5 29.9 10.9 13.8 5.0 4.2 6.5 
   Transport and communications -5.3 -3.6 13.9 17.2 18.3 10.8 7.6 4.9 
   Other tradable services -1.5 -17.3 16.1 2.8 2.9 10.0 4.2 4.3 
   Government authorities 0.0 1.5 2.5 10.0 2.2 0.1 2.3 2.2 
Final consumption -8.8 -3.0 10.0 13.5 10.2 2.7 5.0 .. 
   Government -27.7 6.8 2.8 1.5 21.9 -3.1 -1.5 .. 
Table I.2 (cont'd)
                                                                                                                                                                     
arrangements in the franc zone (Decision of the EU Council of 23 November 1998 on exchange rate matters 
relating to the CFA franc and the Comorian franc (98/683/EC)). 
8 IMF (2006). 
9 In accordance with Regulation No. 02/00/CEMAC/ UMAC/CM, payments relating to international 
transactions can be made freely and capital movement s are free with some exceptio ns which are subject to 
administrative controls (certain types of borrowing, certain loans, certain transactions relating to foreign 
movable assets exceeding CFAF 10 milli on).  The import and export of gold and precious stones  are subject to 
special regulations:  such transactions are free within the CEMAC, but outside the CEMAC require 
authorization by the competent authorities. 
10 IMF (2006). WT/TPR/S/169 Trade Policy Review 
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 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005a
   Private 4.7 -7.9 14.1 19.8 5.1 5.7 8.0 .. 
Gross fixed capital formation 8.2 -25.9 8.7 6.0 -13.3 6.3 3.6 .. 
Change in inventories 157.1 -59.7 58.6 -82.6 1,200.0 -38.5 0.0 .. 
Exports of goods and non-factor 
services 10.5 -1.3 3.2 -4.4 0.3 -6.0 3.0 .. 
Imports of goods and non-factor services -1.0 -14.4 5.4 5.6 1.3 -3.0 4.0 .. 
Price index (annual average, December 1977 = 100) 
Price index in Brazzaville and 
Pointe-Noire  404.0 420.5 416.7 435.2 435.2 432.5 443.0 456.7 
External sector (CFAF billions)  
Trade balance 478 639 1,461 990 1,008 1,049 1,368 1,422 
   Exports f.o.b. 807 961 1,785 1,490 1,479 1,532 1,826 2,130 
   Imports f.o.b. -329 -322 -324 -500 -471 -483 -458 -708 
Current account -143 -142 472 -33 133 302 519 396 
   as a percentage of GDP -12.4 -9.8 20.6 -1.6 6.3 14.7 22.7 14.2 
Capital and financial transactions account -183 -208 -563 -229 -336 -396 -326 -290 
Overall balance -359 -330 -166 -221 -246 -160 65 105 
Financial transactions by the State (CFAF billions) 
Revenue 267 415 603 628 572 604 738 1,055 
   Oil revenue 148 275 466 431 398 422 530 836 
   Non-oil revenue 119 140 136 197 174 182 208 219 
Total spending  416 457 583 648 747 606 638 607 
Overall balance (on the basis of 
commitments, excluding grants) -149 -41 19 -20 -175 -3 100 448 
Overall balance (on the basis of commitments, excluding grants) (as a percentage of GDP) 
-13.0 -2.8 0.8 -1.0 -8.3 -0.1 4.4 16.0 
Monetary situation (annual trend in percentage) 
Monetary supply (M2) -12.8 19.9 58.5 -22.8 13.1 -2.4 17.4 37.1 
.. Not available. 
a Provisional figures. 
Source :  Congolese authorities. 
 
8. According to the National Investment Comm ission (CNI), gross fixed capital formation 
amounted to CFAF 623 billion in 2004, r eaffirming the trend noted since 2001:11  the private sector's 
share was some 78 per cent with the remainder co ming from the government sector.  Since 2001, this 
investment has gone in almost equal portions to the oil and non-oil subsectors (mainly the forestry 
component). 
9. Under the presidential plan for society entitled " La Nouvelle Espérance " (New Hope) 
(Chapter II(2)), the Congo has drawn up the interim text of its PRSP12 and has pursued a macro-
economic stabilization programme, together with st ructural reforms, supported by an IMF Poverty 
Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) since 2004.  These initiatives led to a first reduction of its external debt in 2004 under the auspices of the Paris Club, and in March 2006 the Congo was able to reach the decision point under the enhanced Heavily  Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.  The 
                                                      
11 National Investment Commission (2005). 
12 Republic of the Congo, National Poverty Reduction Committee (2004). Republic of the Congo WT/TPR/S/169 
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                                                     authorities intend to finalize the PRSP in December 2006.13  The Congo could possibly be given total 
relief of US$1.72 billion (in net present value) (NPV)) on a total external debt estimated to be 
US$9 billion (NPV).14  The 43 per cent of the State's revenue in 2006 (before debt relief) required to 
service the debt will thus be greatly diminished.  The reforms undertaken in order to reach this 
decision point have allowed better control to be ex ercised over government finance and have made the 
management of State revenue earned from petrol eum activities (72 per cent of the total over the 
period 1998-2005) more transparent (Chapter IV(3)(ii)).  Structural reforms, particularly in activities downstream of the hydrocarbons subsector (Chapter IV(3)(ii))
15, have been launched. 
10. As a result of the boom in global oil prices (in CFA francs) since 2004, as well as the increase 
in oil production in 2005, State revenue doubl ed between 2003 and 2005 and amounted to 
CFAF 1.0 billion (Table I.2);  there was also a marked increase in non-oil revenue.  Because of the slower increase in expenditure, this rise in Stat e revenue led to a sharp reduction in the overall 
financial balance on the basis of commitments (e xcluding grants), which went from a deficit of 
0.1 per cent of GDP in 2003 to a surplus of 16 per cent in 2005. 
11. The BEAC formulates the monetary policy of its members, including the Congo.  Objectives 
for the monetary supply and credit are determined  on an annual basis taking into account the overall 
financing requirements of the economy concerned and the means required to meet them as set by each 
National Credit Council and National Monetary and Financial Committee.   Thanks to this monetary 
policy, which is globally restrictive, inflation h as been brought under control.  Nevertheless, the 
deflationary trend seen in 2003 was reversed in  2004, when consumer prices started to rise, 
particularly those of food and petroleum products (3.6 per cent increase in 2004 and 2.8 per cent in 2005 in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire).  The risk of such a drift is particularly apparent in the 
Congolese economy because of the sizeable foreign cu rrency earnings from oil in recent years.  If 
there is no adequate sterilization policy, these assets could expand the monetary supply and cause 
inflationary pressures.
16  This happened in 2005, when the mone tary situation showed an increase in 
net external assets (because of the positive perfo rmance in the oil sub sector), which reached 
CFAF 460.6 billion compared to CFAF 58.3 billion in 200417;  despite lower domestic credit, the 
monetary supply (M2) rose by some 37 per cent in 2005. 
12. According to the authorities, the Congo was able to meet three of the CEMAC's first four 
economic convergence criteria in 2005.  These crit eria, drawn up according to the framework adopted 
by the CEMAC in 2000 for macro-economic convergence18, have been subject to CEMAC 
surveillance since 2001, with the support of the Minist ers for Finance in the Franc Zone.  In 2005, the 
 
13 "Republic of Congo reaches decision point under the enhanced HIPC Debt Relief Initiative", 
IMF Press Release No. 06/46, 9 March 2006.  Av ailable at:  http://www.imf.org [18 May 2006]. 
14 Equivalent to 118.5 per cent of GDP in 2005 according to the CEMAC Commission (2006), page 20 
(in French only). 
15 For further details on the steps taken to strengthen  public finance manageme nt and the recent reforms 
in the oil sector, see Boxes 2 and 3 in IMF (2006). 
16 The State has recently opened a stabilization acc ount but it has not yet seen any transactions. 
17 BEAC (undated). 
18 The framework is composed of  the following:  Directive No. 01/00/UEAC-064-CM-04 on the 
establishment of multilateral surveillance of macro-econom ic policies within CEMAC member States;  Decision 
No. 02/01-UEAC-090-CM-06 of 3 August 2001 on partic ipation by the Executive Secretariat in negotiations 
between member States and the Bretton Woods institu tions;  Decision No. 01/00/UEAC-064-CM-04 on fixing 
the timetable for introducing multilateral surveillance of macro-economic policies within CEMAC member 
States;  Directive No. 01/01/UEAC-094-CM-06 of 3 Augu st 2001 determining the criteria and macro-economic 
indicators for multilateral surveillance. WT/TPR/S/169 Trade Policy Review 
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only criterion not met by the Congo related to outstanding debt (the decision point under the enhanced 
HIPC initiative was only reached in March 2006).19 
(3) TRADE AND INVESTMENT TRENDS  
13. The ratio of 118 per cent (in 2004) of trade to GDP underlines the importance of trade for the 
Congo's economy, particularly as oil exports have tr aditionally meant a surplus in the trade balance 
(Table I.3).  The trade balance did not improve to  any great extent in 2005, however, despite an 
increase of 17 per cent in exports, the reason being th e 55 per cent rise in imports.  The Congo is a net 
importer of commercial services;  the deficit in its services account is mainly attributable to 
commercial transactions in goods, particularly the tr end in related services (freight, insurance and 
other services, notably banking, provided to oil companies).  The current account balance nevertheless 
generally tends to show a surplus and its annual level is mainly aff ected by fluctuations in earnings 
from oil exports.  The years 2004 and 2005 represen ted an exception inasmuch as the Congo had an 
overall surplus in its balance of payments and wa s able to build up large reserves of foreign assets 
(section (2) above). 
Table I.3 
Balance of payments, 1998-2005 
(CFAF billion) 
 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005a
Current accounts -143 -142 472 -33 133 302 519 396 
Trade balance 478 639 1,461 990 1,008 1,049 1,368 1,422 
   Exports, f.o.b. 807 961 1,785 1,490 1,479 1,532 1,826 2,130 
   Imports, f.o.b. -329 -322 -324 -500 -471 -483 -458 -708 
Trade in services, net -437 -445 -429 -515 -397 -396 -410 -562 
   Freight and insurance, net -60 -62 -58 -85 -90 -81 -77 -122 
   Services supplied or received by 
   government authorities, net 1 -5 -3 -2 2 0 0 0 
   Travel, net -27 -31 -27 -32 -32 -29 -35 -40 
   Other business services, net -352 -355 -348 -402 -288 -290 -303 -406 
   Other transport and insurance, net 0 8 7 7 11 4 5 5 
Revenue, net -181 -333 -574 -498 -464 -341 -428 -448 
Current transfers, net -2 -3 13 -11 -15 -10 -11 -16 
Capital transfers, net 0 0 7 9 7 9 3 10 
Financial account -183 -208 -563 -229 -336 -396 -326 -290 
Direct investment, net 24 320 115 52 91 187 353 389 
   Abroad 0 0 -3 -4 -4 -1 0 0 
   In the Congo 24 320 118 57 95 188 353 389 
Portfolio, net 0 0 0 -8 0 0 -6 -6 
Other investment, net -207 -527 -686 -282 433 -592 -675 -683 
Errors and omissions, net -34 20 -74 41 -43 -67 -128  
Overall balance -359 -330 -166 -221 -246 -160 65 105 
.. Not available. 
a Provisional figures. 
Source: Congolese authorities. 
 
14. Hydrocarbons are still the predominant element in the Congo's export structure and accounted 
for 90 per cent in 2004 (Chart I.1 and Table AI.1).  The next most important export is timber, far 
                                                      
19 The criteria concerning the ratio of the basic budget balance to nominal GDP (which should be zero 
or more), the annual average rate of inflation (which should not exceed 3 per cent) and payment arrears, were 
met. Republic of the Congo WT/TPR/S/169 
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behind hydrocarbons.  The main destinations for th e Congo's exports were China (38.6 per cent), the 
United States of America (22 per cent) and the Separate Customs Territo ry of Taiwan, Penghu, 
Kinmen and Matsu (Chinese Taipei) (21 per cent) (Table AI.2 and Chart I.2). 
15. An analysis of the import structure highlights the relative diversification of products, with a 
large share of manufactures (70 per cent), particularly machinery and transport equipment, as well as 
medicines and food products, as the Congo str ongly depends on outside sources for these products 
(Chapter IV(2)) (Chart I.1 and Table AI.3).  Fran ce is the Congo's leading supplier (23.6 per cent of 
the total in 2004);  other African countries only provide a small share of the Congo's total imports (Table AI.4). 
Foreign direct investment (FDI) was unsettled dur ing the Congo's decade of political upheavals.  
Since the country's political stabilization in 2002, foreign investors have gradually regained confidence in the future of their investments. 
 
(4) OUTLOOK  
16. Since the political stabilization in 2002, the Congo has embarked upon reconstruction with 
the support of the international community.  This sup port will also include a gradual alleviation of the 
external debt;  the Congo was one of the most heavily indebted developing countries with a debt to GDP ratio of 118.5 per cent in 2005.  Despite its wealth of natural resources, 50 per cent of the 
population lives in poverty and external debt relief should allow the authorities to take action geared 
towards poverty reduction, using the final version of the PRSP as a basis;  and to rehabilitate the 
infrastructure so as to facilitate trade, including movement within  the country.  The State's final 
withdrawal from the supply of rail transport, elect ricity, water and telecommunications services could 
also help to enhance competitiveness. 
17. In the short term, the Congo's economic perform ance will greatly depend on performance in 
the petroleum subsector.  This dependency ma kes the Congo's economy even more vulnerable to 
external shocks such as those caused by fluctuations in global oil prices and ties its future closely to 
positive performance in oil producti on.  The Congolese authorities' forecast is that oil production (on 
the basis of known deposits) should increase in 2006 but decline sharply in 2007.  Their estimates show a rate of real GDP growth of 7.5 per cen t in 2006, falling to 1.5 per cent in 2007 and then 
recovering in 2008. 
18. The economy's vulnerability to shocks origina ting in the petroleum subsector underlines the 
urgency attached by the authorities to diversifying th e basis of the economy in order to make its future 
more stable.  It must also be noted that the av ailability of fairly-remune rated jobs is below the 
population's expectations and this is an obstacle to poverty reduction.  The authorities intend to define 
the policy instruments to be used to  achieve these objectives, particularly those that are trade-related, 
when finalizing the PRSP, planned for December 2006.  Technical assistance from the WTO is sought 
for this purpose (Annex II.1). WT/TPR/S/169 Trade Policy Review 
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0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%
1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%
1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004Chart I.1
Structure of trade in goods, 1995-2004
(a) Exports
(b) Imports
Source: WTO Secretariat calculations based on data taken from the Comtrade, UNSD (ISIC, Rev.3), mirror statistics.Food products Other semi-finished goods Other transport equipment
Non-electrical machinery Other primary products Textiles and clothingDiamondsOther agricultural products Crude petroleum oils
Other Wood, other than coniferous
Electrical machinery Iron and steel Other
Automobile industry Chemicals
 Republic of the Congo WT/TPR/S/169 
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0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%199520002001200220032004Chart I.2
Destination and origin of trade in goods, 1995-2004
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%199520002001200220032004(a) Exports
(b) Imports
Source: WTO Secretariat calculations based on data taken from the Comtrade, UNSD (ISIC, Rev.3),
 mirror statistics.Other European countries France China Rep. of KoreaItaly United States Africa Chinese Taipei Other
FranceUnited States Other
Other American countries
Other African countriesOther European countries
South Africa
NetherlandsItaly
Belgium
IndiaChina
Thailand
 WT/TPR/S/169 Trade Policy Review 
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19. According to the studies conducted by the aut horities up to July 2006, the Congo intends to 
boost the forestry sector's contribution, revive agricultural production, encourage non-petroleum 
mining, modernize energy and water, and promote the development of SME/SMI.  This will not only 
allow jobs to be created and exploit the Congo's advantages in this respect, but will also underpin the 
economic diversification process by providing Congolese processing companies with local raw 
materials.  The Congo has a fairly low population dens ity and will need access to foreign markets if it 
is to make investment in manufacturing, currently ignored by foreign investors, more attractive.  The 
authorities are relying above all on the regional in tegration process within the communities set up for 
this purpose (Chapter III(3)(ii)) to expand access to  neighbouring markets for their products.  They 
also intend to ensure that the Congo plays to the full its role as a country of transit for neighbouring countries, including the DRC, the Central African Republic and Chad, and are aware of the 
importance of upgrading the transport infrastru cture in order to achieve this objective.