SACIM Faces Crisis Amid Marketing Restrictions and Financial Strain
The 48th Ordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers, held on Friday, June 20, 2025, in Kinshasa, reviewed a report from the Minister of Mines evaluating the operational, managerial, and social conditions of the Anhui Congo Mining Investment Company (SACIM).
The report also outlined supervisory measures aimed at reviving the struggling diamond mining firm.
SACIM, located in Miabi in the Kasai Oriental province, is facing a severe crisis threatening its viability, despite maintaining a monthly diamond production of approximately 250,000 carats.
The company’s difficulties are largely attributed to outdated regulatory constraints that were imposed illegally prior to the current government taking office.
These restrictions severely limited SACIM’s ability to freely market its diamonds.
The primary issue cited was Ministerial Decree No. 00049/CAB.MIN/MIN/01/2022, issued on February 22, 2022.
This decree required SACIM to sell its diamonds exclusively to a restricted group of Congolese buyers approved by the Center for Expertise, Evaluation, and Certification (CEEC).
The lack of open market access led to significant revenue declines, resulting in salary payment delays—some extending up to 13 months.
These arrears triggered worker unrest and posed a serious threat to social stability in the region.
In response, a new ministerial decree was issued on June 2, 2025, reinstating SACIM’s right to freely market its diamonds, in alignment with the national Mining Code. This move aims to alleviate financial pressure on the company and promote recovery.
According to the Technical Unit for Coordination and Mining Planning (CTCPM), SACIM produced 334,505.81 carats of diamonds in the first quarter of 2025.
This represents 97% of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s industrial diamond output for the period, with the remaining 3%—or 9,543.63 carats—produced by Minière de Bakwanga (MIBA).
In May 2025, SACIM was granted a three-month moratorium allowing it to sell its diamonds freely. This temporary measure was introduced to help the company recover from prolonged financial distress, including backlogged salary payments and burdensome tax obligations.
The government’s recent actions signal a renewed commitment to stabilizing SACIM and ensuring the continued contribution of the diamond sector to the national economy.
