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The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, through the Ministry of Mines, has provided important clarifications regarding the scope of Ministerial Order No. 00305/CAB.MIN/MINES/01/2026 of 22 May 2026, suspending mining activities in the territories of Mwenga and Shabunda in South Kivu. In an official statement signed on 26 May 2026 by the Chief of Staff of the Minister of Mines, Prof. Dr. Michel Kaswara Yomo, the authorities explained that this decision is mainly intended to put an end to illegal mining activities that contribute to the financing of destabilisation networks and threaten the security and territorial integrity of the DRC.
According to the Ministry of Mines, this measure is part of the government’s effort to clean up the mining sector, particularly industrial mining, in order to strengthen transparency, traceability of mineral substances, and compliance with existing legal standards. Preliminary findings from an investigation carried out by the General Inspectorate of Mines reportedly revealed the need to clarify how this suspension should be applied, following various interpretations and public commentary at both national and international levels after the publication of the ministerial order.
However, the Office of the Minister of Mines emphasised that artisanal mining activities lawfully carried out by Congolese citizens are not affected by this suspension and may continue freely. The authorities also encouraged economic operators in the mining sector working in the territories of Mwenga and Shabunda to cooperate with the mission deployed on the ground in order to help restore order and ensure effective regulation of mining activities in this sensitive part of South Kivu.
Editorial Team
Suspension of Mining Activities in Mwenga and Shabunda: The Congolese Government Clarifies a Measure Intended to Combat Illegal Exploitation and the Financing of Insecurity
