Kizito Pakabomba Appointed Minister of Mines in New Congolese Government
Kizito Pakabomba has been appointed Minister of Mines in the new government of Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka.
In his first statement, Pakabomba expressed his gratitude and commitment: “I am deeply honored to have been appointed Minister of Mines.
I give thanks to the Lord God. I thank the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister for their trust. I am determined to serve our country with dedication and integrity.”
Pakabomba brings over 20 years of international experience in the oil and energy sector, primarily with the TOTAL Group in Africa, Europe, and Asia.
In 2017, he founded TWYK, a company specializing in upstream strategy and monitoring, business development, public affairs and lobbying, strategic communication, and training and coaching. TWYK’s activities are grounded in expertise in political and institutional networks.
A graduate of the Free University of Brussels (ULB), Pakabomba takes the helm of a crucial sector for the Congolese economy, facing significant challenges:
Electricity Production Deficit: Mineral processing in the DRC is hampered by an electricity production deficit. The Katanga mining region currently imports 110 MW of electricity from Zambia, which poses a major obstacle to optimizing the sector.
Economic Growth and IMF Recommendations: Real GDP growth is estimated at 8.3% for 2023, supported by strong growth in the extractive sector. Pakabomba will need to follow recent IMF recommendations, particularly the revision of the 2024 finance law to integrate the positive impact of the amended contract with the mining company SICOMINES, ensuring proper use and effective governance of funds.
Bad Governance and Corruption: Despite the 2018 Mining Code, the DRC’s mining sector still suffers from poor governance, non-compliance with certain mining law provisions, corruption, lack of transparency, and mining fraud. Pakabomba must address these issues to clean up the sector.
Agreement with Chinese Companies: In March 2024, the Congolese government and a group of Chinese companies signed an amendment to the “contract of the century,” increasing infrastructure investment from $3.2 billion to $7 billion, including the construction of approximately 5,000 km of roads. Pakabomba will oversee the implementation of this agreement to ensure the investments benefit the country.
Gold Sector: The Congolese authorities, in partnership with the United Arab Emirates, have established Primera Gold DRC, specializing in the export of gold from artisanal mining in South Kivu. Pakabomba will need to supervise this sector to maximize revenues and ensure responsible exploitation.
Battery Sector: An agreement was signed between the Congolese and Zambian authorities and financial partners for studies on a free zone intended for the electric vehicle battery manufacturing industry.
The cross-border special economic zone will be built on 2,000 hectares in Haut-Katanga province. Pakabomba will be responsible for advancing this crucial project to diversify the mining economy and integrate the DRC into the global value chain of electric batteries.
With these challenges, Kizito Pakabomba faces a demanding but vital task for the economic and industrial future of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
