Tshisekedi orders immediate end to illegal military presence in Congo’s mines
Democratic Republic of Congo orders crackdown on illegal military occupation of mining sites
- Politics
President Félix Tshisekedi has issued a firm directive to the Congolese government to immediately halt and reverse all illegal military and police presence on the Democratic Republic of Congo’s mining sites. This decisive move comes as the country seeks to strengthen governance and transparency in its critical mineral sector, which plays a vital role in global supply chains.
The President’s instructions were delivered during the 94th Council of Ministers meeting held on Friday 10 July 2026 at the Cité de l’Union africaine. Addressing his cabinet, President Tshisekedi emphasized the strategic importance of the mining sector for national economic development while stressing the urgent need to enhance governance, transparency, and credibility in international markets.
Reports of persistent and recurring military and police presence on mining sites across the country prompted the President’s intervention. As the guarantor of national sovereignty, he reiterated the absolute prohibition of any unauthorized occupation or invasion of mining sites by military personnel or security forces, except in cases of legally authorized missions explicitly ordered by competent authorities within their defined mandates.
“Such practices foster negative perceptions of our natural resource governance, undermine control mechanisms, facilitate illicit circuits, and compromise efforts toward responsible and transparent exploitation that meets international standards,” the President stated, as read by the government spokesperson during the meeting.
President Tshisekedi made it clear that tolerating such actions would severely damage state authority, the country’s image, the credibility of ongoing reforms in the mining sector, and the trust of both national and international investors.
“The illegal militarization of mining sites leads to the deprivation of peaceful enjoyment of mining rights by legitimate holders, insecurity in exploitation zones, intimidation, harassment, and extortion against state services, mining operators, and local communities. It also disrupts supply chains and mineral traceability while promoting fraud networks, smuggling, and illicit enrichment,” he explained.
In response to this situation, the Head of State instructed the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Security, Decentralization, and Customary Affairs; the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense and Veterans Affairs; the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC); and the Commissioner General of the National Police (PNC) to take all necessary measures to definitively end any form of illegal militarization of mining sites nationwide without delay.
“The President has therefore instructed them to take all necessary measures to definitively end any form of illegal militarization of mining sites across the national territory, with immediate execution,” the official meeting minutes specify.
Under these instructions, the relevant authorities must ensure the immediate withdrawal of all military personnel and uniformed individuals illegally present on mining sites, halt any interference by defense and security forces in mining activities, secure sites in accordance with legal frameworks, and dismantle networks involved in illegal mining supported or protected by uniformed personnel.
President Tshisekedi also emphasized the need to impose exemplary sanctions on all individuals irregularly present on mining sites.
Building on directives from the 87th Council of Ministers meeting, the government was further tasked with strengthening control, certification, traceability, and monitoring mechanisms for mineral supply chains to ensure compliance with both national and international requirements while safeguarding the rights of legally established operators and local communities.
The issue of military and police presence on mining sites has long been a concern for authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This practice has frequently been criticized for enabling abuses such as intimidation, extortion, influence peddling, and illegal exploitation of mineral resources to benefit certain interest networks.
President Tshisekedi’s announcement is not the first of its kind. In 2022, the government had already ordered the withdrawal of military and police personnel from artisanal mining sites following multiple reports of serious irregularities. This measure was publicly announced by the then Deputy Minister of Interior, Security, and Customary Affairs, Jean-Paul Molipe, during a tour of the Grand Katanga region.
At that time, authorities justified the decision based on the widespread disorder observed in artisanal mining zones. Military and police personnel, sometimes without official assignments, were occupying mining sites, while some Mine Police officers—tasked with overseeing artisanal operators—were accused of turning a blind eye to fraudulent practices or facilitating illicit mineral exploitation, particularly benefiting foreign operators, including some Chinese nationals.