The Democratic Republic of Congo's General Inspectorate of Mines (IGM) announced on April 27 the creation of a paramilitary unit called the "Mining Guard," tasked with securing the country's entire mining value chain.
According to its statement, the unit's core missions will include securing mining sites, escorting minerals from extraction zones to processing facilities and export points, and strengthening traceability along the value chain.
The program is presented as being funded at $100 million and framed within strategic partnerships, notably with the United States and the United Arab Emirates. The announced timeline calls for recruitment to begin in May 2026, followed by six months of training in collaboration with the presidency’s military office, before a phased deployment. At full strength, the force could exceed 20,000 personnel deployed across the 22 mining provinces under IGM supervision by 2028.
The announcement drew criticism. Several Congolese observers noted that a Mining Police already exists within the national police force, responsible for security and oversight operations in the sector. They raised legal, budgetary and institutional questions, arguing the creation of a new force risks overlapping with existing mechanisms.
Reforms to the Anti-Fraud Framework
Congo established the Mining Police in December 2015 to take over security operations that had until then been handled by elements of the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC), and to formally prohibit their presence on mining sites. Multiple reports continue to document persistent involvement, as well as allegations of human rights abuses including arbitrary arrests, extortion and illegal occupation of sites.
According to Africa Intelligence, mining group Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) filed a complaint against senior FARDC officers over alleged illegal mining on an almost industrial scale on some of its concessions in the former Katanga region. Those activities reportedly caused losses estimated at nearly $2 billion per year for the company and the public treasury, according to that source.
Against that backdrop, the IGM said the Mining Guard is intended to progressively replace defense force elements currently deployed in mining zones. The statement, however, is silent on how the new unit will interface with the existing Mining Police. The legal text establishing the Mining Guard's creation, organization and operation is expected to clarify its chain of command and the scope of its powers regarding intervention, arrest and oversight.
The initiative comes amid broader reforms to mechanisms to combat mining fraud and smuggling. In 2025, authorities reorganized the National Commission to Combat Mining Fraud amid criticism over its effectiveness and operational coverage.
On the ground, difficulties securing the logistics chain remain visible. In Haut-Katanga, authorities recently introduced security escorts for trucks transporting copper cathodes along certain road routes to reduce the risk of looting.
Finally, the creation of the Mining Guard may also reflect an effort to build technical capacity in conjunction with external partners. Reports carried by the international press indicate the use of security advisory services, including through specialized private-sector actors, with the aim of improving oversight of mineral flows and securing revenue.
Timothée Manoke
