Kinshasa, May 25th, 2026 (CPA).- Illicit mining operations organized by expatriate operators in Maniema province, in the central-eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, have been described by the Minister of Mines as a matter of economic sovereignty aimed at restoring State authority, during a plenary session held Monday at the National Assembly in Kinshasa. “Illicit mining operations organized by expatriate operators in Maniema province are considered a matter of economic sovereignty, mining security and restoration of State authority. The irregular presence of foreigners on artisanal mining sites is formally prohibited by the Mining Code as well as by the laws of the Republic,” declared Louis Watum, Minister of Mines. On this occasion, Minister Watum disclosed that a government offensive against illegal mining activities has been launched in several provinces across the country, notably in Lualaba, Haut-Katanga, Ituri, Haut-Uélé and Maniema. “Among the actions initiated as part of this fight is a mission by the General Inspectorate of Mines (IGM) carried out in the territories of Mwenga and Shabunda in South Kivu, within the framework of combating illicit mining activities. Measures suspending mining activities have been taken in certain concerned areas of the national territory in order to strengthen sector control,” he added. Minister Watum specified that the adopted approach is based on three main pillars, namely systematic control of mining titles, repression of illicit activities and inter-institutional collaboration. These actions, he stressed, notably consist of cleaning up the mining cadaster register, closing illegal sites, seizing clandestine equipment, initiating judicial proceedings, expelling or banning foreign nationals involved in such activities from accessing these territories, confiscating products resulting from these offences and imposing the rehabilitation of degraded sites. “Mining sites deemed viable may subsequently be reclassified as Artisanal Exploitation Zones (ZEA) supervised for the benefit of Congolese cooperatives, with the aim of transforming these threats into economic opportunities for local communities,” he added.
Government determined to make artisanal mining a genuine development driver
Before national deputies, the Minister in charge of Mines reaffirmed the government’s determination to make artisanal mining a genuine driver of development for local populations and the national economy through a strategy focused on the formalization and professionalization of the sector. According to him, this national strategy notably relies on the creation and viability of Artisanal Exploitation Zones (ZEA), the professionalization of mining cooperatives and legal access to mineral resources. Among priority areas, Minister Watum cited traceability of mining products, compliance with hygiene, safety and environmental (HSE) standards, as well as the establishment of transparent purchasing mechanisms for strategic minerals, notably through the General Cobalt Corporation (EGC). “This policy also provides for the training of artisanal miners, their banking integration as well as simplified taxation, in order to better structure artisanal mining activities throughout the country. The objective pursued is to foster the emergence of a genuine Congolese middle class from the artisanal mining sector, with direct benefits for local communities,” he said. The Minister in charge of Mines has suspended mining activities for three months in the two South Kivu territories of Mwenga and Shabunda.