Congo launches $100 million US-backed mining guard to secure sites and supply chains
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Apr 27
Congo launches $100 million US-backed mining guard to secure sites and supply chains
6 articles · Updated · Reuters · Apr 27
The new paramilitary unit, funded by US and UAE partnerships, will reach 20,000 personnel by 2028, with an initial 2,500–3,000 guards operational from December 2026 after military-supported training.
The mining guard will replace the military in securing mine sites, escorting mineral shipments, and safeguarding investments, aiming to curb smuggling, improve transparency, and boost investor confidence in Congo's mineral sector.
This move follows a Congo-U.S. minerals partnership and ongoing conflict in mineral-rich eastern Congo, where insecurity has disrupted operations and displaced hundreds of thousands, underscoring the need for enhanced sector oversight.
With a 20,000-strong force planned, who will police the police in Congo's mines?
Can a paramilitary unit protect miners when past security deals have failed them?
Will the DRC's new foreign-funded mining police finally end its 'resource curse'?
Is the US 'minerals-for-security' deal a path to prosperity or a new colonialism?
How will a US-backed force impact China’s dominance over Congo's critical cobalt supply?