The Democratic Republic of Congo Mining Week, also known as DRC Mining Week, has just opened in Lubumbashi. This major event for the country is an opportunity for representatives of the mining industry to meet and discuss their trade. The Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, spoke there on behalf of the President of the Republic Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo.
In his speech, the Prime Minister recalled the importance of the mining industry for the DRC: “I would first like to mention here that I wanted to be present at these meetings, (…) to be able to be of this sector which is so vital for us, in the Democratic Republic of Congo at the moment, and to listen to their concerns”.
He also spoke of the need to focus on other economic sectors in the country, such as agriculture, and called for the establishment of other such forums. To support this proposal, he proposed in particular to use part of the taxes of the mining sector to boost the agricultural industry: “the taxes of the mining sector can, without being increased, compared to the current state, help to boost the agricultural sector through good orientation or assignment”.
The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of local processing to create added value in the agricultural industry and protect the local market. With the evaluation of the 2018 Mining Code, the challenge is to find the right balance to maximize the contribution of the mining industry to the development of the country’s economy while promoting the development of other sectors.
It is interesting to note that this allocation of funds from the mining sector to boost the agricultural sector is a step back in view of the past contribution of the mining industry to the construction of the Union Minière du Haut Katanga (UMHK ), the ancestor of Gécamines.
In short, this intervention by the Prime Minister highlights the need to diversify the country’s economy by focusing on other sectors such as agriculture, while maximizing the contribution of the mining industry to the well-being of the Congolese people