At the 31ᵉ edition of the Investing in African Mining Indaba forum, opened on Monday February 3, 2025, the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Judith Suminwa Tuluka, denounced the international community’s inaction in the face of the plundering of Congolese mining resources, fueling armed conflicts in the east of the country.
A mining economy under pressure
As Africa’s leading producer of copper and the world leader in cobalt, the DRC represents a strategic link in the global energy transition. However, the illegal exploitation of its resources deprives the country of an essential part of its revenue and accentuates regional instability.
Against this backdrop, the east of the country is once again the scene of a dramatic escalation. The occupation of Goma by the Rwandan-backed M23 terrorists has taken a heavy toll in human lives, with 773 dead and 2,880 wounded, accompanied by massive population displacement.
This conflict, far from being a simple security crisis, has far-reaching economic implications.
The plundering of Congolese minerals is financing this instability, to the detriment of national development.
“Our minerals finance violence instead of supporting our development”, lamented the Head of Government, calling for better traceability of raw materials to halt this destructive cycle.
Reforms and attractiveness of the mining sector
Despite this context, the Congolese government is pursuing ambitious reforms aimed at improving the business climate.
Easing tax requirements, strengthening partnerships with mining operators and adapting the regulatory framework are among the actions undertaken to guarantee a more competitive and sustainable environment.
But these efforts, experts note, risk being in vain if the security situation remains critical.
The systematic plundering of Congolese resources and their illegal exploitation on foreign markets raises the question of the responsibility of international players in perpetuating economic chaos in the DRC.
Although the DRC has unrivalled mining potential, persistent conflict and a lack of rigorous control mechanisms are hampering the optimal exploitation of these resources.
The occupation of Goma illustrates how the economic war being waged against the DRC is turning into a human war, with local populations paying the price for the coveting of strategic minerals.
Judith Suminwa’s call for greater traceability and greater commitment on the part of international partners is therefore aimed at establishing more equitable exploitation, to the benefit of local populations and the country’s economic sovereignty.
The stakes are high: making the mining sector a lever of growth for the DRC and Africa, rather than an engine of destabilization orchestrated by foreign interests.
Flory Musiswa