| Overview The Congo is situated on the western coast of central Africa and is bordered by Gabon, Senegal, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Angola. It has in the past had political difficulties but now enjoys a stable governement and has been backed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank to relieve its past debts and ensure that the country creates a sustainable economy to support its people and combat poverty and starvation. The Capital city, Brazzaville, is located in the South East of the country alongside the mighty Congo River and directly opposite the neighbouring capital city, Kinshasa. Although Brazzaville is the capital city and houses the government and presidential offices, Point Noire in the South West is the real' business centre. This is due to the fact that the Point Noire area is littered with offshore oil rigs and has a constant influx of foreign visitors with interests in oil production. Point Noire is also the gateway to the country being positioned on the Atlantic ocean. The harbour manages the majority of Congo's imports and exports. The Congo's main and real only export is oil. However, the oil fields are controlled and managed by foreign operators and the people of Congo do not benefit as much as they should from the oil exports. Therefore, with the support of the IMF, government is initiating other projects to create a sustainable economy which will become self sufficient and be able to produce alternative export commodities such as food supplies. In terms of imports, the Congo currently imports approximately 80% of all of its supplies from Europe. Therefore, the cost of living in the Congo is inflated in comparison to its Southern African neighbours. The Expat Community The Congo was previously colonised by France and so many have remained and formed a strong expat community. There is currently no English speaking expat community within the Congo but as soon as farmers start operations, the community will grow rapidly. The majority of farmers will originate from English speaking countries such as South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia and even as far as the United States and United Kingdom. The Market Potential The Local Market The potential market for farming and related activities in the Congo are endless. The Congo has a completely unsaturated and under supplied market. As mentioned above, the Congo has to import over 80% of its food and non-food supplies. The country is completely dependent on foreign exports and has up until now not embarked on any internal production. The Neighbouring Markets The neighbouring markets suffer from the same supply issues facing the Congo. A lack of production in their respective countries means that the majority of their supplies are imported from abroad. As in Congo, the majority of imports come from Europe and incur hugely inflated prices. Local production would be completely absorbed by these markets. The International Market The Congo is ideally positioned to provide fresh produce into Europe. The southern African countries are major exporters of fresh produce into Europe. Being positioned in Central Africa is a competitive advantage over our southern African counterparts as costs of transportation are substantially reduced being located only 6 hours by air away from central Europe. Access The Congo has become very accessible in recent years with numerous South African and local carriers operating throughout the region. International passenger flights To Kinshasa Flights are readily avialable with carriers such as South African Airways and Hewa Bora on a daily basis between Johannesburg and Kinshasa. From there it is a 10 minute boat trip across the river into Brazzaville. Air France also operates a direct service between Kinshasa and Paris and then connects in Paris to the rest of Europe, Asia and the the America's. To Brazzaville Hewa Bora and Interair operates a return flight to Brazzaville twice a week from Johannesburg. Interair is a direct flight whereas Hewa Bora make stops en route in Lubumbashi and kinshasa. The routing to Brazzaville is still in its infancy but new carriers are looking to start operating the route from the major African countries as they do in Kinshasa. To Point Noire Hewa Bora and Tag operate this route. Hewa Bora offer this route from Johanneburg via Kinshasa and Tag operate this route from Angola. Air France also have a bi-weekly return flight from Paris into Point Noire. Domestic passenger flights There are a handful of carriers offering numerous daily cheap airfares between Brazzaville and Point Noire. The flight takes appoximately 45 minutes. However, the rest of the country is currently disconnected in terms of air services since all the old Russian aircraft have been grounded. Once again various carriers are looking to start operating these routes as well the main routes between Brazzaville and Point Noire in light of the Congo's growth prospects. Freight Services The DRC has several air freighters operating between the major African cities and Kinshasa. Talks are also underway to offer a dedicated freight service between Johannesburg and Brazzaville and domestically between Brazzaville and Point Noire. Sea freight is also possible between all major shipping terminals and Point Noire International Sea Terminal. Rail Access Congo has an old rail service which still operates between Brazzavile and Point Noire. Road Access The road network is relatively good with the main towns and cities being connected by tar and/or good dirt roads. It will take approximately 6-7 hours to travel between Brazzaville and Point Noire. Farming areas Farming areas will be located between and around Brazzavile and Point Noire. Therefore, there is good access to airfreight, shipping and rail services and within easy reach of the major cities. Safety The congo is a very safe country in terms of crime. The majority of activity revolves around the major cities, namely Brazzaville and Point Noire with the rest of the country being inhabited by few local people, many of whom still live traditional lives and are unaffected by Western ways. | 
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