Louis Watum, Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the African Eurasian Resources Group (ERG Africa) and the General Cobalt Company (EGC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening sustainable and responsible artisanal cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The MoU forms part of a public-private partnership aimed at formalizing, professionalizing and strengthening accountability for artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). The company will provide EGC with mining rights to mining areas in Lualaba province owned by ERG Africa.
Although none of ERG Africa’s production comes from ASM and there are no plans to do so in the future, the group is committed to supporting the formalization of this sector, which is crucial to the country’s economic development and transparency across the supply chain, alongside EGC and cobalt development programs implemented by the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) and local communities.
The pilot projects within the MoU aim to establish a structured model to improve working conditions for artisanal miners and reduce risks associated with informal mining, including human rights risks. In line with the Congolese government’s vision, there is a need to strengthen social cohesion within surrounding mining communities, strengthen environmental protection, and ensure traceability and security of the cobalt supply chain.
The signing ceremony was attended by His Excellency Louis Watum, Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mr. Gino Buhendwa Ntale, Chairman of the EGC Board of Directors; EGC CEO Eric Carrara. Davron Vahabov, CEO of ERG Africa;
The implementation will be carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Mines, the Agency for Regulation and Management of Markets and Strategic Substances (ARECOMS), SEAMAPE and CEEC, with support from Gecamine. EGC will provide operational leadership, ERG Africa will serve as the enabling partner and GIZ will serve as the technology partner. A third-party operator will be appointed to oversee day-to-day operations, and public consultations with local communities and civil society will be held.
At the ceremony, ERG Africa Chief Executive Officer Davron Vakabov said: “At ERG Africa, we believe that legal artisanal mining plays an important socio-economic role in the DRC. It is essential to support the formalization of ASM activities within the country. The signing of this agreement represents a concrete commitment in that direction. By combining government support and the respective experiences of each party, we have the foundation of a model with transformative potential.”
The article is available online: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/11022026/mining-indaba-2026-erg-africa-and-entreprise-gnrale-du-cobalt-sign-mou-to-formalise-responsible-artisanal-mining-in-the-drc/
