The Democratic Republic of Congo is a country rich in natural resources, including cobalt, which represents 70% of the world’s known reserves. However, the overproduction of this metal allows the market to fluctuate and causes economic problems for the country. Moreover, market corruption, caused by illegal miners, is a real scourge for the DRC, which has deplorable working conditions.
In order to optimize the exploitation of its resources, the DRC has turned to multinationals, such as the Chinese group CMOC, which offers its know-how and contributes to regional economic development while guaranteeing fair conditions for workers. These multinationals take care to respect the rules of international law prohibiting, among other things, child labor, abuse and discrimination. They also invest in the well-being of their staff and local populations by building infrastructure and clinics as well as programs to fight against communicable diseases. These actions greatly contribute to the sustainable development of the country.
The DRC mainly focuses on the extraction of rare metals, to the detriment of the economy. However, it can count on the support of international mining groups to improve performance and guarantee fair working conditions. If the DRC must redirect its economic vision to no longer rely solely on cobalt, multinationals can contribute to sustainable and responsible regional development. The DRC must therefore exploit its natural resources efficiently while preserving its ecosystem and offering good working conditions to its workers.