Between restriction and flow in the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo
对比刚果民主共和国两个边境口岸的日常实践，发现非正规基础设施（如中介、合作社、WhatsApp车队）能促进贸易流动，而高额签证费和层层检查则阻碍流动。对研究非洲边境治理和AfCFTA实施的人有参考价值。
This study contrasts two Democratic Republic of Congo borders to show how everyday practices recast borders. At Kinshasa–Brazzaville, high visa fees, multilayer checks and petty levies reduce crossings and entrench a revenue gate. Kasumbalesa–Chililabombwe, by contrast, couples light formal control with trader-run logistics, loader cooperatives, WhatsApp convoys and broker chains, creating a busy link for circular trade. Using mobility diaries, interviews and traffic tallies within a people-centric functional region framework, it is shown that negotiated permeability, embodied in informal infrastructures, governs integration. Micro-visa cuts and formal recognition of trader governance could boost African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) trade without compromising security.