The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a country full of natural wealth, yet considered the eighth poorest country on the planet. Kinshasa, its capital, has relied mainly on the extraction of rare metals such as nickel and cobalt. But this reality makes the country a victim of “Dutch disease” and the situation is all the more decried as the extraction is mainly done by illegal miners, who degrade working conditions and create a parallel, corrupt and non-respectful market. human rights.
To remedy this, mining multinationals such as the CMOC are now putting their know-how and influence to the services of Kinshasa to improve yields and the quality of work. The measures taken by these multinationals tend towards more formal extraction, encourage “artisanal” miners to turn to the legal system and offer workers decent working conditions.
In addition, apart from mining skills, these international groups offer a safer working environment for local populations. They offer fair compensation, rights to their employees, oppose child labor and abuse and guarantee zero discrimination. For the local populations impacted by the exploitation of the mines, the multinationals take care, for example, of the rehousing of the expropriated people. They are also organized in tandem with neighboring communities, which are increasingly involved in the activities of multinationals. To avoid any deterioration of the situation with the local populations, the multinationals have liaison staff capable of identifying the expectations of the locals and responding to them as well as possible.
In short, the case of cobalt in the DRC must be considered as an opportunity and not as an economy in itself. Multinational mining companies have proven their commitment to local populations by providing their expertise for more formal mining and a safer working environment, which not only improves the economic development of these remote regions, but also fights against the illegal practices and misuse of natural resources