DRC Deputy Minister of Mines Calls for Action to Protect Artisanal Miners
The Democratic Republic of Congo participated, through the Ministry of Mines, in the XVI Forum on responsible mineral supply chains, organized by the tripartite Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the CIRGL and the United Nations Experts.
Representing the DRC, Godard Motemona, Deputy Minister of Mines, castigated the precarious situation experienced by artisanal miners in his country, while end consumers reap enormous benefits.
He made the assembly see the enormous losses experienced by the DRC through mining fraud following non-compliance with the framework measures put in place.
“Almost all of the gold from artisanal mining in the DRC, around 37 tonnes, was smuggled out for the benefit of refineries in neighboring countries, particularly Uganda.
For 3T ores, the drop in the export of coltan in the DRC is due to coltan smelters located in neighboring countries without a proven geological source of supply. These sources are supplied in the DRC. For example, the DRC complies with the requirements of the regional certification mechanism of the ICGLR by implementing traceability for responsible sourcing as Rwanda comes to tag DRC minerals,” he said.
In a firm tone, Godard Motemona asked the international community for a condemnation of Rwanda, the main “aggressor and looter” of the DRC’s resources. He also requested the support of the international community to face the aggressors of the DRC.
“Rwanda and its allies have the unavowed objective of creating and maintaining the fraudulent supply corridor of our minerals in defiance of established standards. The DRC continues to seek from the international community a firm and unequivocal condemnation of this aggressor country and his accomplices as well as substantial support as is the case in the Russo-Ukrainian war,” he said.
He also welcomed the efforts made by the President of the Republic Félix Tshisekedi to bring peace to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Also, Godard Motemona discussed with the Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in the Great Lakes Region on the support of the United Nations to the DRC to overcome the difficulties it is currently experiencing due to the war in his part. East.
Recall that the Minister of Mines of the DRC, Antoinette N’samba Kalambayi had just made it known in a statement that mining fraud deprives the country of capital that could further finance the construction of roads, hospitals, schools, etc. the province of extraction than in the whole of the national territory. She revealed that more than 40 tons of illegal gold leave Congolese territory every year.
