DRC Launches $100M Mining Guard Unit with US-UAE Backing

The Democratic Republic of Congo announced on Monday the creation of a paramilitary mining guard unit to secure the country's vast mineral deposits, backed by $100 million in funding from partnerships with the United States and United Arab Emirates.

The General Inspectorate of Mines, which oversees the nation's mining sector, described the unit as a special force responsible for protecting mining sites, escorting mineral shipments to processing facilities and border crossings, and ensuring oversight of mineral production across 22 provinces. Recruits will undergo six months of training, with an initial contingent of 2,500 to 3,000 personnel expected to deploy by December. The force is projected to expand to more than 20,000 guards by the end of 2028.

Inspector General of Mines Rafael Kabengele stated that President Felix Tshisekedi aims "to clean up the entire mining sector, by eliminating practices that run counter to good governance, transparency and the traceability of minerals." The unit will assume security duties previously handled by conventional military forces, amid efforts to boost investor confidence in an industry plagued by illicit trafficking and violence.