International alliances to combat illegal mining: What is happening in Congo?

Written by Omnia Hassan

The republic is moving  Congo Democracy is taking new and decisive steps to confront the illegal mining of cobalt, one of the world’s most important strategic minerals, through broad partnerships with major international mining companies, in an attempt to impose control over a sector that has suffered for years from chaos and security abuses.

The state-owned Enterprise General Cobalt (EGC) is leading these efforts through a plan aimed at regulating artisanal mining and reducing unregulated prospecting within the concessions of major companies operating in the country.

A plan to regulate artisanal mining

The agency seeks  Congolese To allocate specific areas within official mining sites to allow artisanal workers to practice their activity in a legal and organized manner, thereby ensuring improved working conditions and reduced security and operational risks.

Artisanal mining is a source of income for hundreds of thousands of Congolese, but at the same time it poses a major challenge to global mining companies due to the constant infiltration of production sites, and the accompanying dangerous accidents and disruptions that affect the workflow.

The company's CEO, Eric Calala, said the initiative represents a "social solution" aimed at easing pressure on companies and striking a balance between the interests of investors and the needs of local communities.

International partnerships to support the initiative

As part of this strategy, EGC signed its first cooperation agreement with the Eurasian Resources Group, which manages large copper and cobalt assets within Congo, and is currently negotiating with other international companies, including China’s Zhengton Congo Resources and the US’s Virtuos Minerals.

These alliances aim to identify sites designated for artisanal mining within existing concessions, while preserving the legal status of the original mining licenses.

A new security force to protect the mines

In parallel with these steps, the Congolese government recently unveiled a plan to create a paramilitary force specializing in protecting mines and monitoring mining activities.

The plan aims to deploy around 3,000 armed personnel by the end of this year, with the number expected to rise to 20,000 “mining guards” by 2028.

Despite talk of US and Emirati support for the project, the US embassy confirmed that Washington is not currently funding any security units to guard the mines, stressing its continued support for economic stability and strategic partnership with Congo.