Louis Watum Highlights $349.2-Million Community Development Funding
DRC Mines Minister Louis Watum Reports $349.2 Million Mobilised from 44 Mining Companies
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has mobilised $349.2 million from 44 mining companies through the 0.3% community development allocation, according to Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba.
The funds have supported 521 community projects, of which 335 have been completed and 186 are still under implementation.
The projects cover key areas including 80 schools, 65 health centres, 62 water and energy projects, 52 road infrastructure projects, 47 sociocultural initiatives and 28 agro-pastoral projects.
In addition, 93 mining companies have entered into community development agreements with local communities, representing a combined budget of more than $360.1 million.
The ministry said reforms in the marketing and export of minerals have also identified potential additional annual revenue of more than $136-million for the State treasury.
As part of efforts to improve mining governance, the government has recovered 3,413 mining blocks covering about 289,950 hectares through the clean-up of the mining cadastre.
The ministry also reported that 2.851 tonnes of artisanal gold, valued at $281.8 million, were channelled through the formal market in 2025.
Meanwhile, 64 artisanal mining zones have been identified in Lualaba and Haut-Katanga provinces.
On employment, the takeover of Chemaf by Virtus Minerals is reported to have preserved about 2,000 jobs, while KoBold Metals’ planned investment of about $1-billion is expected to create around 3,000 jobs.
The figures form part of Watum’s first-year review at the Ministry of Mines, with the government seeking to strengthen mining governance and ensure a greater share of the sector’s economic benefits reaches communities and the State.
