Congo Creates $100 Million Mining Guard to Secure Minerals

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is investing $100 million to establish a paramilitary force known as the mining guard to secure the nation's mineral exploitation chain and transport routes. The force aims to replace conventional military units at mine sites, protecting foreign investments and escorting shipments of critical minerals including cobalt, copper, coltan, and lithium.

The General Inspectorate of Mines plans to deploy more than 20,000 guards across 22 mining provinces by 2028. Recruitment for an initial contingent of 2,500 to 3,000 recruits will begin in May 2026, with the first operational deployment expected in December 2026 following a six-month training program.

While initial reports identified the United States and the United Arab Emirates as funding partners, the General Inspectorate of Mines later clarified that the unit will not rely on direct financing from any single state, utilizing instead diversified arrangements with various international partners. The initiative aligns with a U.S. strategy to reduce China's dominance over critical mineral supply chains and follows a U.S.-brokered peace deal between Congo and Rwanda.

President Felix Tshisekedi and the General Inspectorate of Mines intend for the force to combat instability caused by rebel groups, such as the M23 in the east, and eliminate illicit trafficking. The overarching goal is to improve governance, transparency, and traceability to attract more Western investment into the sector.