DRC Urges Stronger Regional Cooperation to Improve Great Lakes Mining Governance
DRC Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba Calls for Concrete Action on Regional Mineral Governance
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has called on member states of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) to translate their commitments on mineral governance into concrete, measurable actions to improve transparency, strengthen supply chain controls and combat illicit mineral trade.
The call was made by DRC Minister of Mines Louis Watum Kabamba during the 10th Meeting of ICGLR Ministers in Charge of Mines, held in Lusaka, Zambia, on 12 October 2026.
Watum Kabamba also serves as chair of the organisation’s Committee of Ministers responsible for mining.
He emphasised the need to move beyond regional commitments and ensure that decisions adopted by member states are implemented effectively, with measurable results in the management of mineral resources.
Mineral Traceability and Certification
Watum Kabamba identified credible mineral traceability systems, stronger certification mechanisms, reliable information sharing between member states and the effective implementation of regional resolutions as key priorities.
He also called for stronger monitoring and verification mechanisms to tackle illicit mineral supply chains and promote greater transparency across the region’s mineral trade.
Improving these systems is intended to strengthen oversight of mineral movements across borders, support responsible sourcing and build confidence in regional mineral supply chains.
Local Processing and Regional Value Chains
Beyond traceability and compliance, the DRC minister stressed the importance of expanding local mineral processing and developing regional value chains to capture greater economic value from the region’s natural resources.
He argued that mineral resources should attract investment, create employment and support industrialisation across the Great Lakes region.
Achieving these objectives will require closer cooperation among member states to develop industries that generate wider economic benefits beyond mineral extraction.
Watum Kabamba also stressed that the region’s natural resources should serve as drivers of sustainable development, stability and shared prosperity rather than contribute to conflict and insecurity.
Regional Cooperation and Implementation
The DRC’s position aligns with the vision outlined by President Félix Tshisekedi at the ICGLR Summit held in Kinshasa on 15 December 2025, which emphasised regional cooperation and responsible natural resource management as foundations for development and stability.
Following the opening ceremony in Lusaka, delegates continued their discussions behind closed doors, focusing on mineral governance, traceability and certification, illicit supply chains and cooperation among member states.
The meeting was officially opened by a representative of Zambia’s Vice-President and attended by representatives of ICGLR member states, the organisation’s Executive Secretary and the European Union Ambassador to Zambia and COMESA, alongside other invited stakeholders and partners.
The meeting provided a platform for member states to discuss practical approaches to improving mineral governance and strengthening regional coordination.
The effectiveness of these efforts will depend on the implementation of agreed measures, stronger verification systems and sustained cooperation among participating countries.
For the DRC and its regional partners, the priority remains ensuring that mineral resources contribute more directly to industrial development, economic growth and long-term stability across the Great Lakes region.
