DRC Gold Trading SA, the only company allowed to export artisanal gold in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), recently opened a new office in Maniema province. On the opening day, March 21, the company’s head office manager, Amisi Mudjanahery, reassured mining cooperatives, traders, and licensed buyers of the firm’s capacity to purchase all artisanal gold in the region. Mudjanahery emphasized that this capability is backed by a partnership with Rawbank, the DRC’s leading financial institution.
“The company is there to collect all gold from artisanal and small-scale mining. This gold must be traced. Together with Rawbank, DRC Gold Trading SA would like to reassure all its suppliers that it will buy all the gold supplied to it in cash,” he stated.
Mudjanahery did not elaborate on the specifics of the partnership with Rawbank or how the bank intends to help the state-owned company fulfill its mandate.
In 2024, DRC Gold Trading aimed to export 12 tonnes of gold but managed only 1.75 tonnes. The shortfall was attributed to multiple factors, including operational halts during part of the year and uncompetitive prices offered by the company compared to those on the black market. Additionally, banking regulations restricting daily cash transactions have further complicated its operations.
Despite these challenges, optimism remains high among local stakeholders. David Kikuni, provincial president of the Maniema Gold Traders’ Corporation, expressed confidence that the new buying office would curb the exodus of gold production from the region while strengthening traceability and sector governance.
Maniema’s artisanal gold production has historically been hard to track. According to partial data from the Cellule Technique de Coordination et de Planification Minière (CTCPM), artisanal output in the first quarter of 2024 was just 5.77 kilograms. By comparison, the province produced 9.87 kilograms in the first half of 2022, accounting for 10.18% of national production that semester. In its annual report covering 2024, the CTCPM does not mention Maniema.
This article was initially written in French by Ronsard Luabeya (intern)
Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho
