DRC Launches AXIS Programme and Sovereign Gold Reserve Token Framework
DRC Signs AXIS Programme Agreement to Launch Sovereign Gold Reserve Token (SGRT) for Debt-Free Development Financing
The Ministry of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Social Fund of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FSRDC) signed an Institutional Framework Agreement on February 19, 2026, to formalize cooperation on the national AXIS (Asset-eXchange-Impact-Sovereign) Programme and its associated financing mechanism, the Sovereign Gold Reserve Token (SGRT).
According to the official statement, the agreement establishes a structured development financing framework based on the valuation of community assets supported by traceable and legally regulated natural resources.
Authorities emphasized that the mechanism is designed without recourse to public debt and without pledging sovereign natural assets as collateral.
Structure and Governance of the AXIS Programme
The AXIS Programme is led by the FSRDC under a presidential order dated April 28, 2023. It is co-developed with private-sector partner Phoenix Capital BV and benefits from strategic institutional support from the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Under the Framework Agreement, the Ministry of Mines retains its statutory authority over mining policy, the designation and security of Artisanal Mining Zones (AZEs), technical, environmental and social oversight, as well as enforcement measures to combat fraud and illicit mineral flows.
The FSRDC acts as the institutional lead and public trustee of the AXIS Programme. Its mandate includes structuring the financing mechanisms, mobilizing and managing capital, and directing investments toward community development projects aligned with national priorities.
Phoenix Capital BV is responsible for financial engineering, technological infrastructure, and operational integration of the sovereign tokenization instruments, including capital raising and management of production-related operations under the programme.
Focus on Gold and Community Carbon Markets
The first phase of implementation centers on the Gold Connect initiative and the MACC (Community Carbon Market) platform. These initiatives are designed to formalize and professionalize artisanal mining activities particularly in gold while integrating agricultural and forestry value chains where relevant.
The programme seeks to enhance traceability across production chains, strengthen regulatory compliance, and channel financing into local development projects in participating territories.
Technical services, including SAEMAPE (Service d’Assistance et d’Encadrement de l’Exploitation Minière Artisanale et à Petite Échelle), as well as artisanal mining cooperatives and provincial authorities, are expected to play operational roles in implementation.
Objectives and Strategic Impact
According to the signatories, the AXIS Programme aims to:
-Improve traceability and transparency in natural resource flows
-Increase economic returns for local communities
-Develop innovative, non-debt financing tools to support national economic transformation
By linking regulated natural resource production with tokenized sovereign instruments, the initiative seeks to create a structured and accountable mechanism for mobilizing development capital while preserving sovereign balance sheet integrity.
