By whom is the DRC plundering its minerals?

A risky estimate, as the traffic is difficult to quantify. But by comparing the gold production exported from Rwandan and Ugandan refineries, and by comparing it to the extraction, it is clear that the differential is significant.

This SOS launched by the Congolese authorities is also an opportunity to drive a little more the nail of the discord with Rwanda, which Kinshasa therefore accuses of looting. This is also one of the challenges of the conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): "The M23 is in the process of occupying not only the routes of evacuation of minerals but also axes on where there are many mining sites,” recently lamented Alexis Muhima, mining specialist in the DRC.

The Congolese minister takes the opportunity to demand sanctions against Kigali. But for Rwanda, the accusations do not hold: the spokesperson for the Rwandan presidency, Yolande Makolo, replied to the Congolese minister that the Rwandan mining sector was in compliance with the laws and monitored, in particular thanks to traceability techniques.

Emirates to the rescue

Before Nicolas Kazadi's exit in the FT, President Paul Kagame had already claimed that accusations of looting minerals were "just useless stories to distract people from the real problem".

Still, despite the defense of Rwanda, the DRC knows that it is its neighbors who benefit from the wealth of its soil. In June 2022, the General Inspectorate of Finance had, in a report, indicated that mining companies operating in the DRC had generated $35 billion in profits between 2020 and 2021, but had only paid to the National Mining Agency… $564 million in commissions.

Kinshasa, which has no refineries, turned to the United Arab Emirates. Primera Gold DRC, a joint venture between the two countries, is responsible for buying gold from Congolese artisanal miners and exporting it to the Gulf. Exports are said to have already increased tenfold at the start of the year.