Marcelin Kondonga

Mining Governance in the Ituri Province of the DRC Marcelin Kondonga

Described as a "geological scandal" by Jules Cornet, a Belgian geologist, the DRC has incredible natural resources. Among the precious materials contained in its subsoil, gold is a mineral for which the country has the world's largest reserve. Theoretically, if the abundance of resources constitutes an asset for development, it is however not the case for the DRC. Despite the efforts made by this country to equip itself with a legal arsenal and services supposed to promote the traceability of this mineral, it appears that fraud and smuggling are persistent scourges in the mining sector. Indeed, this practice is observed differently throughout the national territory, particularly in the province of Ituri where the diagnosis is particularly severe. Why, in spite of the normative framework and the establishment of specialized services for mining traceability in the DRC and in the region, does fraud and smuggling persist? What are the stakes and the actors? What are the challenges? These are some of the questions that this book seeks to answer.