ETS ALBARTOS

The document details the challenges faced by ALBARTOS, a Kinshasa-based trading company, highlighting systemic corruption, inefficient administration, and poor infrastructure in the Democratic Republic of Congo. To navigate these obstacles, the company relies on consultants and informal networks with public officials to expedite permits and avoid over-taxation.

• ALBARTOS faces significant operational hurdles due to systemic corruption and administrative inefficiency in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where political interference and dishonest customs agents undermine business functions.
• The company employs specific coping strategies to bypass bureaucratic delays and corruption, including hiring consultants for tax and banking matters and maintaining a network of contacts within public agencies to accelerate the acquisition of licenses and permits.
• Administrative processes for business registration and import clearances are excessively slow; while formal company creation can take several years, informal negotiations can reduce this to 3 to 6 months.
• Infrastructure deficits, specifically poor transport networks and a lack of electricity, hinder business growth and investment.
• Financial instability is driven by the volatility of the Congolese Franc, leading the company to prefer transactions in US dollars to avoid exchange losses.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2012). ETS ALBARTOS. https://saiia.org.za/saiia-toolkit/ets-albartos/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. ETS ALBARTOS. 2012. https://saiia.org.za/saiia-toolkit/ets-albartos/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=ETS ALBARTOS |date=24 July 2012 |url=https://saiia.org.za/saiia-toolkit/ets-albartos/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2012ets, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{ETS ALBARTOS}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2012}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/saiia-toolkit/ets-albartos/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }