The Democratic Republic of Congo is set to provide the United States with a catalogue of priority mining projects for potential investment by American companies.
- The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has committed to presenting a prioritised list of mining projects to the United States for potential investments.
- This initiative stems from a strategic minerals partnership agreement signed between the two countries in early December.
- The agreement emphasises granting U.S. firms preferential access to DRC’s critical mineral reserves like cobalt, copper, lithium, and tantalum.
- A Joint Steering Committee will oversee the management of the Strategic Asset Reserve, which includes the mineral assets and available exploration zones.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is set to provide the United States with a catalogue of priority mining projects for potential investment by American companies, six weeks after both countries sealed a strategic minerals partnership.
The agreement, announced on December 4, grants U.S. firms preferential access to some of Congo’s vast reserves of critical metals, including copper, cobalt, lithium, and tantalum, as Washington seeks to curb China’s dominance in global mining and mineral processing. Specific projects were not named at the time.
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Joint oversight panel
Under the agreement, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is required to compile and submit, within 30 days, an initial list of critical mineral and gold assets, as well as unlicensed exploration areas, to a newly created Joint Steering Committee.
These assets will form part of a Strategic Asset Reserve, with eligible investors able to submit proposals for projects covering exploration, development and extraction, including concessions and mining licences.
The Strategic Asset Reserve will be dynamic, allowing the DRC to add new critical mineral and gold assets, as well as unlicensed exploration areas, at any time.
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Both Washington and Kinshasa may propose assets for inclusion, with a joint steering committee responsible for maintaining the updated register.
The agreement states that the list will be expanded regularly, in consultation with the United States, to advance its objectives.
Projects within the reserve will be exempt from any additional obligations, fees or administrative requirements beyond those предусмотрed under Congolese law, provided that no additions breach domestic legislation or international commitments between the two countries.
