US not funding Congo's $100 million mine guard, embassy says
The United States has clarified it is not funding a proposed $100 million paramilitary force to guard mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, despite earlier announcements suggesting U.S. involvement. The Congolese mining regulator stated the unit will be developed with international partners but without direct funding from any single country. The force, expected to exceed 20,000 personnel by 2028, aims to secure mineral-rich areas amid ongoing conflict and rising geopolitical competition. Congo continues to pursue security and investment partnerships, including recent agreements with the U.S., UAE, and China.
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US not funding Congo's $100 million mine guard, embassy saysSign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxFILE PHOTO: A man uses a basin to pour the water out of a pool as he extracts coltan ore at the SMB mine near the town of Rubaya in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, August 16, 2019. REUTERS/Baz Ratner/File PhotoPublished Apr 28, 2026, 10:38 PMUpdated Apr 28, 2026, 10:50 PMListenKINSHASA, April 28 - The United States said on Tuesday it is not funding any security units tasked with policing or guarding mines in Democratic Republic of Congo after Kinshasa announced plans to launch a paramilitary force to secure mining sites.Congo’s General Inspectorate of Mines (IGM) said in a statement on Monday that the paramilitary guard would be funded by a $100 million budget and created under strategic partnerships with the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates.The U.S. embassy said that Washington remained committed to advancing economic growth and stability in Congo through the strategic partnership, but it was not involved in funding mine security units.“The U.S. government is not currently funding any units to patrol or guard mines in the Congo,” it said in a statement.Congo’s mining regulator also said on Tuesday that plans for the mining guard, while developed with multiple international partners, would not involve direct funding by any single country."Discussions are ongoing to structure a mechanism that is consistent with national priorities," it said in a statement.The central African nation has been battling a Rwanda‑backed rebellion in its mineral‑rich east and security support and investment form part of a minerals partnership it signed with the U.S. to improve access to Congo's vast copper, cobalt and lithium resources.The new unit will be rolled out across mining regions nationwide and is expected to exceed 20,000 personnel by the end of 2028.Congo, the world’s top cobalt supplier and second-largest copper producer, has said it is seeking to strengthen security around strategic mineral assets, part of wider efforts to attract investment and reduce armed group activity in mining regions.The government last month signed a separate deal with China aimed at strengthening investments as geopolitical competition for its minerals deepens. REUTERSSee more onUnited Arab EmiratesUnited States
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