Learn about barriers to market entry and local requirements, i.e., things to be aware of when entering the market for this country.
Last Published: 7/20/2017
  • Chronic unemployment, particularly among youth
  • Poverty
  • Low literacy rate
  • Inadequate and underdeveloped transportation and utilities infrastructure
  • Dollarized economy
  • Endemic corruption across all echelons of government
  • Poor or inadequate contract enforcement
  • Limited access to credit
  • Continuing insecurity in eastern DRC
  • National political instability
  • Large and inefficient bureaucratic institutions
  • Lack of an adequate or effective judicial system
  • Inconsistent application of commercial laws
  • Lack of transparency in the political decision-making process
  • Inefficient and burdensome tax and customs administrations
  • Inadequate protection of property rights
  • Expensive and unreliable utilities and public infrastructure (water, electricity, transportation)
  • Low domestic purchasing power
  • Limited spoken and written English proficiency
  • Dominance of the informal sector

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.