Gold exploitation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was the focus of a day of reflection organized by the Chamber of Mines of the DRC, in collaboration with Prince Nyampala. Under the theme “gold, a structuring pillar of the development of the Democratic Republic of Congo”, this day made it possible to address the issues linked to artisanal gold mining in the country.
During this event, Joseph Kazibaziba, Managing Director of Primera Gold, highlighted the importance of artisanal gold mining in the South Kivu province. According to him, nearly 3 tonnes of gold are mined artisanally each month in this region, the equivalent of 36 tonnes of gold per year. However, he also noted that these figures are still below forecasts, and that many challenges remain.
The presence of Primera Gold in the province of South Kivu is explained by the fact that this region is a transit point for gold coming from other provinces of the DRC. Indeed, large quantities of gold from different regions of the country pass through South Kivu. This makes this region a key area in the gold trade in the DRC, with more than twenty officially approved purchasing counters.
However, this situation also carries risks. Uncontrolled gold transits in the South Kivu region result in the loss of more than two billion dollars for the Congolese public treasury. This money, which escapes control and taxation, could be used to finance illegal activities, or even fuel conflicts.
Prince Nyampala, meanwhile, highlighted the DRC’s immense gold wealth, which has nearly 2,000 tonnes of gold and 64 million ounces of reserves. However, he deplores that despite this abundance of resources, a large part of the Congolese population lives in poverty.
This day of reflection highlighted the challenges and issues linked to the exploitation of gold in the DRC. It is essential to find solutions to control and regulate this important economic sector, so that the benefits of this exploitation truly benefit the development of the country and the improvement of the living conditions of its inhabitants.