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DR Congo to establish US-backed paramilitary guard for mines
The $100m plan is part of Washington’s efforts to secure access to critical minerals as the DRC struggles with rebel groups for control of territories containing reserves.The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) plans to set up a paramilitary unit to secure the country’s large mining sites.The General Inspectorate of Mines (IGM), which oversees the East African country’s abundant deposits of critical minerals, announced the creation of “the mining guard” on Monday. The unit will be backed by investments from the United States and United Arab Emirates as Washington and its ally seek to lock in access to the minerals and the DRC struggles with rebel groups for control in the country’s troubled east.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4At least 43 people killed in ADF attack in northeast DR Congo, army sayslist 2 of 4US ‘third-country’ deportees deal sparks backlash in DRClist 3 of 4DRC and M23 rebels eye peace monitoring agreement in Switzerlandlist 4 of 4DRC government, M23 rebels commit to protecting civilians, aid deliveriesend of listThe IGM described the plan to establish a “paramilitary special unit intended to secure the entire mineral exploitation chain” in the DRC. The guard will be responsible for securing mining sites as well as minerals transport.“By the end of 2028, a gradual deployment is planned of a workforce of more than 20,000 guards covering the 22 mining provinces under IGM supervision,” the body said in a statement.Recruits will undergo a six-month training programme, and the first contingent is expected to be deployed in December, it added.President Felix Tshisekedi aims to “clean up the entire mining sector, by eliminating practices that run counter to good governance, transparency and the traceability of minerals”, the inspector general of mines, Rafael Kabengele, said in the statement.The $100m programme is being funded through partnerships with the US and UAE, the IGM said.The Central African nation is responsible for about 70 percent of the global output of cobalt, a key mineral in the production of electric car batteries and defence technology. The country also has some of the world’s richest deposits of copper, coltan and lithium.Chinese mining firms have a dominant position in the country. The US is pushing to reduce this dominance. The enormous wealth to be found underground is also an element driving rebel groups.The DRC and Rwanda signed an agreement in December aimed at ending conflict in the eastern DRC. The DRC’...
DR Congo to establish paramilitary unit to strengthen mining security
KINSHASA, April 27– The General Inspectorate of Mines (IGM) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Monday announced the creation of a “Mining Guard,” a special paramilitary unit tasked with securing the country’s mining sector. According to an official press release, the unit will be responsible for ensuring security across the entire mineral exploitation chain, including the protection of mining sites and the secure transport of minerals from extraction zones to processing facilities and border posts. The IGM said the initiative aims to improve governance in the mining sector by enhancing transparency and traceability, while eliminating practices inconsistent with good governance standards. “The will of the President (of the DRC), which we are implementing, is to clean up the entire mining sector by eliminating practices contrary to good governance, transparency and traceability,” said Inspector General of Mines Rafael Kabengele. The deployment plan envisions more than 20,000 mining guards across 22 mining provinces by 2028. The first contingent will consist of between 2,500 and 3,000 recruits selected through a rigorous process. Recruits will undergo six months of intensive training in collaboration with military institutions and will be equipped with modern equipment, according to the statement. The recruitment will begin in May, followed by training from June to December, with the first operational deployment expected in December 2026. By the end of 2027, the unit is expected to cover security needs in the Grand Katanga and Grande Orientale regions, before expanding nationwide by 2028. The DRC is the world’s leading producer of cobalt and the second-largest producer of copper. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua) Post Views: 34
Congo launches $100 million US-backed mining guard to secure sites
Democratic Republic of Congo's mines inspectorate said on Monday it had created a paramilitary mining guard to secure mining sites and mineral supply chains, as the world's top cobalt ...
DRC launches $100 million US-backed mining guard to secure sites
Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) mines inspectorate said this Monday it had created a paramilitary mining guard to secure mining sites and mineral supply chains, as the world's top cobalt producer tries to curb smuggling and insecurity in the sector and boost investor confidence. The programme will be funded by a $100 million budget under strategic partnerships with the United States ...
