International appeal: a fair share for Congo

Mining contracts are vital to the development of the DRC. After thirty years of dictatorship and over fifteen years of war and transition, the Congolese people have immense needs. The DRC has abundant mining resources. A fair exploitation of those resources should allow for the reconstruction and the development of the country.

Why this appeal?
Opaque mining contracts are extremely unfavourable for the DRC. During the years of war and transition, numerous mining contracts have been signed that are extremely unfavourable for the DRC. Those contracts concern the vital mining resources in the country and entail obligations for the coming decades. The negotiations and approval of those contracts took place with a total absence of transparency. The content of the contracts remains unknown to the Congolese people. Guarantee the Congolese people a fair share in the benefits.
The new Congolese government and its international partners should employ every possible means to guarantee the Congolese people will derive the benefits of the exploitation of their mining resources, which they are entitled to.

To guarantee the Congolese people a fair share, the new Congolese government and its international partners should:
* Clarify all mining contracts inherited from the past.
* Revise those contracts with a view to them being renegotiated, revoked or cancelled.
* Set up an independent mechanism to monitor the implementation of contracts.
* Ensure transparent and fair management of mining resources.

Download the memorandum here.
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