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http://www.africanews.org/central/congo-kinshasa/stories/19990126_feat1.html
The US Dollar Causes A Stir On The Market
January 26, 1999
Kinshasa, Congo (PANA) - The euphoria following a decision on 8 January by the
Congolese President Laurent Kabila to ban illegal foreign exchange transactions
has led to a drastic fall in the black market exchange rate of the US dollar
against the Congolese Franc.
Before the clampdown on the street side moneychangers, the exchange rate was 450 Congo francs to 100 US dollars.
This rate progressively dropped on the black-market increasing from 400 CF on 11 January, 350 CF on 12 January and to 320 CF on 13 January before reaching varying rates between 280 CF to 300 CF for 100 US dollar currently.
This fall in the exchange rate of the US dollar has however not affected the prices of goods and services that much. Although prices displayed in CF in front of shops remain as they were before the president's announcement, prices have doubled in other markets.