Agreement between the Government and Dan Gertler- an amicable settlement and questions

Dan Gertler moved up to the presidency of the Republic. It’s a big day for him. He and his team are happy. They say they are relieved. They even thank Felix Tshisekedi. It is no coincidence that the signing of the memorandum of understanding is done directly at the Presidency of the Republic. The case was taken in hand directly by the cabinet of the Head of State even if it is Minister Rose Mutombo who affixes her signature alongside that of the Israeli businessman. 

What we know

According to the government and Dan Gertler, all differences between the two parties have been erased by this memorandum of understanding. This allows the Congolese authorities to regain “full possession of its mining and oil assets”. 

According to the government, the wait mainly resulted in the recovery of the oil blocks and mining assets held by the Fleurette group, blocks and assets valued by Kinshasa at more than 2 billion US dollars. The DRC also recovers “a substantial part” of the royalties from Kamoto Copper Company (KCC) which were ceded to it. All within the framework of cleaning up the mining and hydrocarbons sector.

Questions 

• Several questions remain unanswered at present about this expectation. 
• Does the agreement cover all alleged ill-gotten gains? 
• Did the negotiations cover only part of what Dan Gertler obtained illegally in the DRC?
• Why is the communication only about royalties from KCC? 
• Why are the royalties from the Mutanda Mining and Metalkol projects not mentioned?
• Who made up the commission that worked on this memorandum of understanding?
• What is the final destination of the recovered goods?
• Also, what are the specific details contained in this Memorandum of Understanding?

Suspected of having signed “opaque and corrupt mining and oil contracts” in the DRC, Dan Gertler has been under US sanctions since 2017. In May 2021, a coalition of NGOs estimated in a report that the DRC could have lost nearly 4 billion dollars because of the contracts concluded with the sulphurous Israeli businessman. Does the amicable settlement mean that no prosecution is possible in the DRC? So many questions that have not yet found answers.