The European Union has announced new financial support for the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) mining sector, unveiling two strategic initiatives designed to promote responsible mineral value chains and strengthen the country’s geological data systems.
The first initiative supports the Cobalt for Development project, implemented by the German development agency GIZ in collaboration with the Congolese state-owned company, Entreprise Générale du Cobalt. Initially focused on pilot sites, the program aims to improve both social and environmental conditions within the artisanal cobalt mining industry.
The second initiative involves the forthcoming launch of Panafgeo+, an EU-funded program developed in partnership with France’s Bureau of Geological and Mining Research and the Royal Museum for Central Africa. This project will assist the DRC’s Ministry of Mines and the National Geological Service in managing and digitizing the country’s geological data.
These initiatives align with the EU’s broader goal of building sustainable, transparent, and ethical mineral supply chains. The partnership with the DRC is particularly focused on securing critical and strategic raw materials through responsible and environmentally sound practices.
