DRC: the head of SAEMAPE advocates for financial support to assist the transition to small-scale mining.

The General Director of the Service for Assistance and Guidance of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining, Jean-Paul Kapongo Kadiobo, advocates for an acceleration of the sector’s transformation. He emphasizes the situation in Eastern Kasaï, where artisanal mining plays an important role in the livelihoods of the local population.

According to him, the transition to small-scale mining requires appropriate financial support. Artisanal operators rarely have sufficient resources to acquire equipment, improve their production methods, and meet the requirements related to the organization of the sector.

This transition should gradually move away from a model primarily based on rudimentary tools and informal organization. It could also facilitate better supervision of mining activities and contribute to increased productivity.

Funding Considered Essential

SAEMAPE, responsible for assisting and supervising artisanal and small-scale miners, believes that financial support is one of the main levers for this transformation. Without accessible financing mechanisms, operators risk remaining confined to limited production and difficult working conditions.

However, mechanization is not just about acquiring machines. It also involves technical support, a more rigorous organization of operators, and a framework that allows for better control of mining activities.

In Eastern Kasaï, this evolution is seen as both an economic and social challenge. Artisanal mining provides income for many people, but its low productivity and regulatory difficulties limit the benefits it could generate for workers and the local economy.

Jean-Paul Kapongo Kadiobo’s proposal thus contributes to the debate on the modernization of the Congolese artisanal mining sector. It highlights the need to mobilize resources to support operators in their transition to a small mechanized mine while strengthening the supervision of their activities.