Recent news in the Democratic Republic of Congo shows an alarming situation in the Ituri region. Armed groups have caused the death of more than 900 people since the beginning of the year, according to figures given by MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission in this country.
These human losses are directly linked to the armed conflicts raging in the territories of Djugu, Irumu and Mambasa, and are largely fueled by the illicit exploitation of minerals. This highlights the close link between mining activities and the armed groups who find in these resources a means of financing.
In order to solve this problem, Congo Peace Center organized a workshop on mining governance in Bunia, bringing together mining experts as well as representatives of the affected territories. The objective of this workshop was to identify the links between armed conflicts and the exploitation of minerals, and to find ways to restore peace throughout the province of Ituri.
Marc Karna Soro, head of the MONUSCO office in Ituri, stresses the importance of collaboration between the actors involved in order to preserve the achievements of the peacekeeping mission, even after its departure from the DRC.
Blaise Bahise, director general of Congo Peace Center, specifies that the recommendations resulting from this workshop will be submitted to the office of the technical secretariat of the Nairobi process. This is an important step to fight against the illicit exploitation of minerals and put an end to violence in Ituri.
The commander of the 32nd military region, for his part, calls on all participants to do everything possible to break the chain of illicit mineral exploitation, which perpetuates armed conflicts and threatens the lives of civilian populations.
This issue of mining and armed conflicts in Ituri is a worrying topic. It is crucial to put in place effective measures to combat this illicit exploitation and restore peace in the region. Collaboration between local actors, experts and international organizations is essential to find lasting solutions to this crisis. We hope that the recommendations emanating from this workshop will help to advance this cause and protect the lives of the people of Ituri