According to the Minister of Mines Willy Kitobo Samsoni, the Democratic Republic of Congo expects a 20% drop in revenue collection from mineral activities, this is due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The disease has forced some companies to delay development projects because of export restrictions. The global market has also seen a drop in commodities prices, which has affected the mineral sector, said the minister.
Congo's economy is still widely dependant on mining activities with the sector contributing about 36% to export revenue. In 2018 around USD1.57 billion was paid to government by mining companies; the country is also Africa's biggest copper producer and the world's leading cobalt miner.
But most of Congo's minerals have been at the centre of the prolonged instability in the country, especially in the eastern parts; and the mineral resources have mainly benefitted the political elite rather than ordinary citizens
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