Congo, Democratic Republic of the (DROC) - Foreign trade

During his administration, which ended in 1997, President Mobutu routinely diverted much of the former Zaire's export revenues to special accounts held outside the country.

Foreign exchange earnings have traditionally been highly sensitive to changes in the world market prices for copper and cobalt, two of its principal exports. Other leading exports include crude oil, diamonds, and coffee. Principal imports are consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, and fuels.

Principal trading partners in 1998 (in millions of US dollars) were as follows: