Validation workshop of the responsible sourcing model and standards of the Entreprise Générale du Cobalt (EGC) – Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde officially launches the work in Kinshasa Gombe
In an initiative aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in the artisanal mineral exploitation sector, the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, launched this Thursday, September 28, 2023, the work of the validation workshop for the responsible sourcing model and standards of the Entreprise Générale du Cobalt (EGC).
This workshop aims to reflect on the EGC Responsible Sourcing Standards, which have been developed and approved by the EGC Technical Committee. These standards aim to guarantee compliance with the laws of the DRC as well as international standards, such as those deployed by ARECOMS, SAEMAPE and CEEC.
During his opening speech, Prime Minister Sama Lukonde welcomed the launch of this workshop, which constitutes a decisive step in cleaning up activities in the sector of artisanal exploitation of strategic minerals in the DRC. He underlined the government’s desire to reduce fraudulent flows escaping state coffers and to improve the equitable redistribution of income generated by this sector, with the aim of reducing poverty among local populations.
The government intends to accelerate the process of cleaning up the artisanal cobalt sector, by complying with international standards, particularly those of the OECD. It considers the artisanal exploitation of mineral substances as a strategic tool of its economic policy, and plans to expand the list of strategic minerals in the medium term.
The Entreprise Générale du Cobalt (EGC), a subsidiary of Gecamines, has been given a mandate to exercise a purchasing monopoly on cobalt from artisanal mining in the DRC. This initiative aims to ensure responsible exploitation of mineral resources and consolidate the dominant position of the DRC on the world market.
By promoting transparency and encouraging responsible sourcing practices, this EGC standards validation workshop constitutes a significant step forward in the fight against fraud and the development of the DRC’s mineral resources. The government thus demonstrates its desire to promote a sustainable mining sector that is environmentally friendly and beneficial to local communities.