The Democratic Republic of Congo government is putting in place measures aimed at attracting large-scale mining corporations in its tin mining sector and ending illegal artisanal mining, the country’s vice prime minister told the Dow Jones news agency on Friday.
Lamanu Mulendu Bwana, who is also Congo’s interior and security minister, told reporters in the Ugandan capital Kampala that the government has already appointed a committee to look into the mining sector in the three restive provinces in Eastern Congo with the aim of restoring order in the chaotic sector. "We want to know all the main players. When the committee has finalized its work, the government will take appropriate action," he said. "Our aim is to transform the sector to enable large-scale companies to take charge."
The government banned mining in North Kivu, South Kivu and Maniema provinces, which account for over 80% of the country’s tin production of some 14,000 tpy, from September 11. According to Bwana, since the ban was imposed, several attempts have been made to have it lifted, but issues such as insecurity have thwarted these efforts.