New DRC Mines Minister Louis Watum Strengthens Ties with China
DRC’s New Mines Minister Louis Watum Meets Chinese Ambassador to Bolster Mining Cooperation
Louis Watum Kabamba, newly appointed Minister of Mines in the Suminwa II government, officially took office on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, succeeding Kizito Pakabomba.
The following day, he held a strategic meeting in Kinshasa with Zhao Bin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The encounter highlighted China’s pivotal role as one of the DRC’s leading partners in the mining sector.
In a statement shared on his personal X account, Minister Watum welcomed the meeting, noting that it reaffirmed the “common will” of both countries to deepen cooperation, particularly in the extractive industry.
“This meeting was an opportunity to reaffirm our shared desire to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the mining sector, through responsible investments, local resource development, technology transfer, and capacity building,” Watum said.
He also pledged to advance “modern, transparent, and attractive mining governance, in line with the vision of His Excellency Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, for the benefit of the Congolese people and the sustainable development of our nation.”
Ambassador Zhao Bin described the talks as a courtesy visit to congratulate the new minister and emphasized the importance of maintaining permanent dialogue to consolidate cooperation, extending beyond mining into energy and other sectors.
China remains the DRC’s most significant trading partner. In 2024 alone, the country imported over $21 billion worth of Congolese products and exported more than $4 billion in goods to the DRC, Zhao Bin revealed earlier this year.
The relationship is anchored by the 2008 Sino-Congolese contract, often called the “contract of the century.” Although renegotiated in 2024 at President Tshisekedi’s request, civil society watchdogs, including Congo Is Not for Sale, have argued that the deal still disadvantages the DRC.
Minister Watum brings over three decades of mining and leadership experience to his new role:
1991: Began career at Shituru Works in Likasi before moving to Anglo American in South Africa, where he co-developed two patented metallurgical processes.
2001–2005: Managed the Yatela gold mine in Mali under AngloGold Ashanti.
2006–2009: Oversaw the Moto Gold Mines project in the DRC.
2010–2014: Directed the commissioning of the Kibali gold mine for Randgold.
2014–2024: Served as General Manager of Operations at Ivanhoe Mines, later becoming head of Kamoa Copper SA, where he supervised the Kamoa-Kakula and Kipushi projects.
May 2024: Entered politics as Minister of Industry and SME Development.
Now leading the Ministry of Mines, Louis Watum is expected to combine his technical expertise and managerial acumen to revitalize the extractive sector — a cornerstone of the Congolese economy.
