The DRC recovers the disputed mining and oil assets of the Ventura group in an agreement signed with Dan Gertler

The Democratic Republic of Congo signed an agreement with Israeli businessman Dan Gertler on Thursday, February 24, which allows the country to recover the disputed mining and oil assets of the Ventura group in the DRC. This is announced by the Presidency of the Republic. 

This agreement signed amicably between the DRC and the Ventura company of the Israeli Dan Gertler aims to put an end to the legal disputes which opposed the two parties. 

For the Presidency of the Republic, this is a “historic first for the country which thus reclaims assets whose sale had been called into question”. 

The signing of this agreement between the Government and Dan Gertler’s Ventura company will enable the DRC to upgrade its assets for the benefit of the population.

“The Congolese State will therefore upgrade these assets for the exclusive benefit of the population according to the vision of the Head of State, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo”, reports the Presidency of the Republic.

Facing Dan Gertler and his advisers, the DRC was represented by Rose Mutombo, Minister of State and Minister of Justice, in the presence of the Chief of Staff of the Head of State, Guylain Nyembo and the Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of economic issues, André Wameso.

Note that Mr. Gertler is under US sanctions. His companies are the subject of suspicion of embezzlement and corruption in the DRC. He is accused of having signed “opaque and corrupt mining and oil contracts” in the DRC. Congolese civil society, through the Congo is not for sale (CNPAV) campaign, accuses him of having caused the DRC to lose approximately “1.36 billion dollars in tax revenue” in the 2010s, thanks to to his bromance with former President Joseph Kabila.