North Kivu Launches High-Level Forum to Combat Mining Fraud and Improve Governance
North Kivu Military Governor Initiates Forum to Tackle Mining Fraud and Enhance Sector Governance
Facing widespread mining fraud and smuggling in North Kivu province, military governor Evariste Somo Kakule convened a high-level forum focused on improving governance in the mining sector.
The primary objective: to diagnose the challenges clearly and propose practical solutions to ensure the province’s mineral resources no longer slip beyond state control.
The forum brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including members of the provincial government, lawmakers, mining administration officials, economic operators, and representatives from state services.
Together, they exchanged insights, shared observations, and developed recommendations aimed at better regulating this strategically important but largely unstructured sector.
Minerals Escaping Taxation
In his opening remarks, Governor Somo Kakule issued a stark warning:
“The mining sector offers hope for a border economy like ours, but it remains highly disorganized, especially in artisanal mining. Many mineral products currently operate entirely outside state oversight.”
The forum’s final report described the situation as “dark and alarming,” highlighting issues such as poor traceability, fragmented public services, unregulated informal operators, and a massive loss of revenue for the public treasury.
Towards a Provincial Mining Policy
Key resolutions adopted during the meeting include:
Developing a provincial strategic plan to structure mining governance.
Establishing a provincial mining company alongside a local mining cadastre system.
Strengthening public sector agencies operating in the mining industry.
Systematically identifying traders and artisanal mining participants.
Implementing a local mineral traceability mechanism, with a focus on supporting existing initiatives, especially for gold.
Harmonizing mineral purchase prices across the province.
Participants urged mining operators to fully comply with the Mining Code, foster a tax-paying culture, collaborate closely with authorized services to report fraud, and contribute actively to local socio-economic development.
This forum represents a critical turning point for mining governance in North Kivu. In a province where the sector’s revenues have long bypassed official channels, the initiative offers hope for revitalizing governance—provided its recommendations are rigorously enforced and followed through.
