Photo : Griff Tapper, AFP
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : Griff Tapper, AFP
IN BRIEF
by Jerry Franklin, Ryan Marcus, Sneha Surendran, Nithyashree RB and Prearana P
DRC: UAE-Congo partnership aims to eradicate smugglers
On 18 July, Aljazeera reported on the confirmed partnership deal between the United Arab Emirates and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The UAE has signed a deal worth USD 1.9 billion with a state mining company located in Congo, to develop four mines in eastern Africa. According to the statement, the mines would be established in the South Kivu and Maniema provinces. The country signed a 25-year contract with a UAE firm named Primera Group, for mined ores. The Democratic Republic of the Congo aimed at eliminating the mineral smugglers and guaranteeing better livelihood for the informal miners. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, over five million fled the country due to the long-lasting conflict that broke out in May 2021. The Congolese finance ministry claimed that the Primera Gold operations in the South Kivu province had shipped over one tonne of certified gold. (“UAE signs deal to develop mines in eastern DR Congo,” Al Jazeera, 18 July 2023)