New York — Prime Minister Judith Suminwa says the DRC wants to process more cobalt and copper locally to retain greater value from its mineral resources.
Speaking during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 23, Suminwa said the DRC should move beyond the extraction and export of raw materials.
“We do not want to be only the subsoil of the global economy,” she said, outlining the government’s ambition to make the country a more active participant in global industrial value chains.
Suminwa said the government wants to increase the processing of cobalt and copper within the DRC, while developing battery precursors and other industrial components. She also highlighted the need to strengthen the training of engineers and support research.
The Prime Minister said the country’s mineral resources have become increasingly important as global demand grows for materials used in the energy transition, electric transport, energy storage and digital infrastructure.
She also called for greater involvement of Congolese companies in global value chains and said the DRC could work with African and international partners to develop regional industries capable of creating jobs and technical expertise.
Suminwa further linked the governance of strategic minerals to peace and security, arguing that the resources found in the DRC have both economic importance and implications for the country’s security challenges.
Source: Congolese Press Agency (ACP)