The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo is in discussions with a private training company to establish an armed security force of more than 20,000 personnel to protect mining activity, officials said.
According to the head of the General Inspectorate of Mines, the proposed guard will be responsible for safeguarding large-scale commercial mining operations, assisting in the formalization of sites worked by artisanal miners who use basic tools, and enhancing traceability for mineral exports.
Inspector General Rafael Kabengele - who assumed the post in January - said the private training firm has not been publicly identified. He described talks with the company as progressing well and said the principle of the arrangement has been agreed upon. "Things are moving along well with them," Kabengele said in an interview last week in the mining hub of Lubumbashi. "The principle has been agreed upon."
Kabengele indicated a decree to authorize the creation of the unit should be published soon. He said the new force is intended, over time, to replace all police and soldiers currently deployed at mining and processing sites.
The General Inspectorate, which operates under the mines ministry, announced earlier this year a plan to invest $100 million in the guard, with that funding described as coming from the United States and the United Arab Emirates.
Separately, Congo signed a strategic partnership in December with the previous U.S. administration that grants U.S. companies preferential access to certain Congolese mining and infrastructure projects. While the Congolese official said Washington is "ready to help, truly help" with the initiative, the U.S. State Department has stated it is not involved and does not plan to provide funding for the force.
The proposed guard is presented as a tool to improve the oversight and reputation of the mining sector, by providing security for commercial operations, supporting efforts to formalize informal artisanal sites, and strengthening export traceability. Details on the private contractor, the timeline for training and full deployment, and the procedural steps for replacing security forces remain limited pending the expected formal decree.
Summary
The DRC government is negotiating with an unnamed private company to train a dedicated mine guard force exceeding 20,000 personnel. The unit will protect major commercial mines, assist with the formalization of artisanal mining areas, and aim to improve traceability of mineral exports. Officials say the unit will ultimately replace police and soldiers at mining and processing sites, and a formal decree authorizing the force is expected to be published soon. Funding of $100 million has been cited as coming from the United States and the United Arab Emirates, though the U.S. government says it is not providing funds.