https://www.brusselstimes.com/
A joint venture created by a new partnership between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a view to ending the illicit movement of precious metals from the DRC has just made its shipment of “fair gold”.
The 28 kilograms of gold bars, displayed at a ceremony in Kinshasa on Friday 13 January, resulted from the first five days of activity by Primera Gold DRC in the east of the country, the company’s director, Joseph Kazibaziba said. That initial shipment was more than the 26 kilograms of artisanal gold officially exported by the DRC in 2021.
Primera Gold is one of two companies created under a partnership contract signed on 10 December by the DRC and UAE. The other is Primera Metals DRC, which will focus on the tin, tungsten and tantalium sectors. The objective of the partnership is to stop smuggling in both sectors, according to Congolese officials.
New company aims to ship one tonne of “certified” gold per month
Primera Gold’s goal is to ship about one tonne of “certified” gold per month and eventually reach about 15 tonnes a year. About 30,000 artisanal miners will supply gold to the company, which promises to provide them with “a regular income and access to health care and education for their families.”
For the rest of this article: https://www.brusselstimes.com/352275/congo-uae-join-forces-against-illicit-gold