DRC establishes task force to accelerate US minerals partnership
The new task force is intended to turn the DRC-US strategic minerals agreement into concrete investment, infrastructure and economic projects as Kinshasa seeks to expand Western participation in its mining sector
The Democratic Republic of Congo has established a DRC-USA Task Force to accelerate implementation of its strategic minerals partnership with the United States, as Kinshasa seeks to attract more Western investment into its copper and cobalt sectors.
The task force was approved by the Congolese government on September 11, according to cabinet minutes reviewed by Reuters, and comes several months after the launch of the partnership was delayed by administrative processes.
Economy Minister Daniel Mukoko Samba said the task force is intended to turn the commitments made under the partnership into concrete economic and security benefits for Congolese citizens. However, the government has not yet disclosed the task force’s membership or specific projects.
The development comes as the DRC seeks to expand Western participation in its critical-minerals industry and reduce its dependence on Chinese funding. The country is one of the world’s leading producers of copper and cobalt, two minerals that are increasingly important to global supply chains.
The DRC-US strategic partnership, signed in December, covers critical minerals as well as infrastructure, investment and local value addition. Under the agreement, the two countries will also explore the creation of a coordinated strategic minerals reserve in the DRC.
A key component is the development of the Sakania-Lobito Corridor, which the agreement identifies as a strategic route for mineral exports. The partnership sets five-year targets for the proportion of DRC mineral exports moving through the corridor, including 50% of copper, 90% of zinc concentrate and 30% of cobalt.
This gives the agreement a broader infrastructure and logistics dimension, alongside its focus on mining investment.
The partnership has already begun producing commercial activity. Reuters reports that it has resulted in US-backed investment through Virtus Minerals and expanded sales agreements involving DRC state miner Gécamines, Mercuria and Glencore, opening additional routes for Congolese minerals into Western markets.
The DRC has committed under the partnership to identify strategic projects aimed at industrial transformation, local value addition and infrastructure development. The agreement also provides for preferential access and a right of first offer for US investors in certain designated strategic projects and mineral assets.
