COVID-19 border measures in the DRC have encouraged informal cross-border traders to group together

To mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the DRC introduced new regulations on movements across borders, with significant disruptions to small-scale traders’ informal operations. In response, these traders in the eastern provinces forged new collaborations. LSE Research Officer Jonathan Bashi writes that ‘groupage’ among the traders could accelerate the formalisation of small cross-border trade in the region, and increase much-needed customs revenues.