More than 20% of the Democratic Republic
of Congo’s mining revenue has been lost
due to corruption and mismanagement, a
campaign group says.
According to a Global Witness report, the
money is being distributed through corrupt
networks linked to President Joseph Kabila.
At least $750m has gone missing over the
past three years, it says.
The government has not commented but
has previously denied allegations of
corruption in its mining sector.
DR Congo is Africa’s biggest producer of
copper and the world’s largest supplier of
cobalt used in batteries for electric cars. It is
also rich in gold, diamonds, and coltan, used
in mobile phones, but its people remain
among the poorest in the world following
years of conflict and mismanagement.
“Congo’s mining revenues should be helping
to lift its people out of poverty,” says Pete
Jones, a Global Witness senior campaigner.
According to the report, much of DR Congo’s
mining revenue goes missing after being
paid to the state-owned mining company,
Gécamines.
The head of Gécamines, a close ally of
President Kabila, has denied allegations of
corruption and insisted the company is
transparent.
Other alleged culprits identified by the
report are the country’s tax agencies which
are legally allowed to hold back a
percentage of the taxes they impose.
This creates avenues for corruption through
inflating how much of the fines they can
keep for themselves, Global Witness says.
The report says that if the money not
reaching the state coffers through
corruption, mismanagement and an
ineffective tax system was collated, from
2013 to 2015, then the amount rises to $
1.3bn.
