The United Arab Emirates has signed a $1.9-billion deal with a state mining company in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to develop at least four mines, the Congolese presidency has revealed.
President Felix Tshisekedi's office said an Emirati government delegation had signed the partnership agreement with Societe Aurifere du Kivu et du Maniema (Sakima) in Kinshasa.
The deal would see the "construction of more than four industrial mines" in the provinces of South Kivu and Maniema, according to the statement.
Mining Technology reported that the statement did not specify which minerals will be mined, although the provinces of South Kivu and Maniema are rich in gold, tin ore and tantalum, the latter being columbite-tantalite which is used in smart-tech devices.
Congolese parastatal Sakima has mining concessions containing tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold in the volatile east of the country, with South Kivu bordering Rwanda from where rebel forces are said to sporadically launch attacks on the DRC.
Maniema in turn borders South Kivu to the west.
The statement gave no other details about the deal, including the type of minerals that would be extracted.
The new deal comes after the DRC signed a 25-year contract in December with UAE firm Primera Group over export rights for some artisanally mined ores.
