DRC Mines Minister Calls for Responsible and Sovereign Transformation of the Sector at DRC Mining Week
Kizito Pakabomba, the Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has called for a responsible and sovereign transformation of the country’s mining sector.
His remarks came during the official opening of the 20th edition of DRC Mining Week, held on Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Lubumbashi, Haut-Katanga.
This year’s edition of the annual forum, a flagship event for both national and international stakeholders in the extractive industry, was themed: “Twenty Years Shaping the DRC’s Mining Sector: Investing in Infrastructure and Energy Security.”
In his keynote speech, delivered before an audience of government officials, diplomats, mining operators, development partners, and investors, Minister Pakabomba applauded two decades of progress.
He highlighted the sector’s role in driving economic growth and expanding industrial and energy infrastructure across the country.
“The DRC is now the world’s leading producer of cobalt and the second-largest producer of copper. But these resources are finite.
We must manage them responsibly for the socio-economic benefit of our people,” the Minister emphasized, stressing the importance of ethical, transparent, and sustainable mining practices.
He also acknowledged the achievements made under the 2002 Mining Code and its 2018 revision. Reaffirming the government’s commitment to reform, Pakabomba outlined priorities from the Government’s Action Program for 2024–2028.
These include improving traceability, combating fraud, promoting local subcontracting, and enhancing the business environment.
Presenting a forward-looking vision for economic diversification, the Minister identified five key areas of focus: diversification of partnerships, strategic sectors and minerals, geographical operations, product value addition through local processing, and broader national economic diversification based on mining revenues.
“The challenge is to process our minerals here at home, create local employment, and build a Congolese industrial ecosystem around every mining site,” he said.
Against the backdrop of ongoing instability in the eastern part of the country, Minister Pakabomba also acknowledged the resilience of the Congolese people.
He underscored that effective resource governance is a strategic tool for ensuring peace and safeguarding national sovereignty, in line with President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo’s vision.
He concluded by urging continued dialogue between the government, investors, civil society, and local communities to build a modern, equitable, and resilient mining sector.
