With US-UAE support, paramilitary groups protect Congo mines.

Written by: Ayman Ragab

Authorities in the Republic revealed Democratic Republic of CongoIt is in the process of establishing a paramilitary unit to monitor mines in the country, which is the world's second largest exporter of copper and the largest producer of cobalt, a metal used in batteries.

According to Bloomberg, the unit will be funded by the United States and the United Arab Emirates.

$100 million investment

The country's Inspector General of Mines said that $100 million would be invested and up to 3,000 armed personnel deployed by next December.

Congo aims to reach 20,000 “mine guards” across the country by 2028.

This force is expected to secure production operations, ensure the traceable transport of minerals, and replace the “defense forces currently deployed in mining areas.”.

Insecurity in the mining sector

Washington and Kinshasa signed a strategic economic partnership in December granting preferential access to mining and infrastructure projects for companies from the United States and its allies. Part of the agreement included commitments from Congo to improve the business environment, reduce corruption, and address insecurity. Mining sector.

Police are currently conducting patrols in most operations, but sometimes members of the army and presidential guard are found at the sites, which is often a violation of the country's mining law.

Copper and cobalt

While copper and cobalt are primarily extracted from large industrial projects, most of Congo's mines are manually dug by millions of traditional miners.

The guards will begin work in the copper- and cobalt-rich Katanga region in the southeast, which also contains large deposits of zinc, lithium, gold, tin ore and tantalum ore, the inspectorate said.