The Democratic Republic of Congo's mines minister has suspended the head of the state agency overseeing artisanal and small-scale mining, accusing him of failing to prevent illegal mining on licensed concessions. The suspension was reported on 27 October 2026, based on a ministerial order seen by Reuters.

Mines Minister Louis Kabamba Watum suspended Jean-Paul Kadiobo Kapongo, director general of SAEMAPE, the Service d'Assistance et d'Encadrement de l'Exploitation Miniere Artisanale et a Petite Echelle, on 21 October. The suspension took immediate effect and was formally communicated to government agencies and provincial authorities on 22 October.

What the order alleges

The order said Kapongo failed to take necessary measures to prevent illegal artisanal mining on concession areas, particularly in the copper- and cobalt-rich provinces of Lualaba and Haut-Katanga. It also accused him of improperly establishing SAEMAPE revenue-collection services inside concession areas, depriving permit holders of the full use of their rights and exposing the state to possible liabilities.

Congo is the world's largest cobalt producer and second-largest copper producer. Higher metal prices have drawn thousands of informal miners into licensed areas, creating tension with industrial operators including CMOC, Glencore, Ivanhoe Mines and Eurasian Resources Group. Authorities have also restarted operations at the Musompo trading centre near Kolwezi, which is intended to improve transparency through certified weighing and analysis.

Sources: Reuters, Mining & Business