Mines in DRC: Kinshasa wants to renegotiate the "contract of the century" with Beijing

On the eve of the official start of President Felix Tshisekedi's state visit to China, the Congolese authorities are waiting to rebuild the partnership with Beijing, undermined by the gigantic contract nicknamed "mines against infrastructure" signed in 2008.

View of the sicomines, in the DRC. © Michael Kavanagh

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Signed under President Joseph Kabila, the contract between Kinshasa and Beijing provided for more than $6 billion in Chinese investment in exchange for access to cobalt and copper mines. Fifteen years later, the expected results have not been achieved. The Congolese authorities therefore want to renegotiate.

According to a document consulted by RFI and following revelations by Jeune Afrique and Reuters, the Congolese delegation in Beijing wants to rebalance the shares of Sicomines (Sino-conglaise des mines), this joint venture set up with the Congolese public company Gécamines and the Groupement d'entreprises chinois (GEC). Kinshasa wants to go from 32% of shares currently held by Gécamines to 60% plus 10% "non-dilutable" shares for the Congolese State, or 70% for the Congolese side. The share of the GEC would become a minority.

Guarantees on governance

Kinshasa also wants guarantees on future governance: "put an end to the role of figure of the agents of Gécamines", make a technical and financial audit of Sicomines, set up control mechanisms on production sites, but also settle the financing of infrastructure works for $ 1.5 billion by a line of credit "managed by the Congolese side" and that Sicomines also ensures the realization of infrastructure in $667 million.

The Congolese side also writes that 40% of the infrastructure envelope must go to its companies. A renegotiation for Chinese contracts deemed "totally inappropriate and dangerous" a few months before the general elections, according to members of civil society contacted by RFI.

" READ ALSO – DRC: justice looks into the controversial giant contract of Sicomines

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Read on on the same topics:

  • DRC
  • China
  • Félix Tshisekedi