0.3% Revenue Allocation: Louis Watum Reveals His Vision

On 13 March 2026, before members of parliament and senators, his colleague the Minister of State in charge of Social Affairs and National Solidarity and Co-Chair of the Supervisory and Monitoring Committee for the management of specialised bodies, members of the Court of Auditors and various guests, the Minister of Mines Louis Watum revealed his vision for the management of the minimum 0.3% of turnover of mining companies for the community development of communities affected by mining projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, during a workshop organised from 13 to 16 March in Kinshasa at his invitation.

Mining News Group publishes the full text of his speech, which was acclaimed by the entire audience, in the lines that follow:

Permit me, first of all, to welcome each of you and to salute your presence, which testifies to the importance we collectively attach to good governance of the mining sector and to the sharing of the wealth it generates for sustainable community development of the affected communities.

As you know, the mining sector is one of the essential pillars of the national economy. It represents a strategic lever for growth, job creation, increased public revenue and the sustainable development of our country.

It is in this perspective that, on the orders of His Excellency the President of the Republic and Head of State Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo and under the supervision of Her Excellency the Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, the Government has undertaken various reforms aimed at improving governance, transparency and the efficiency of the institutions that frame this sector.

The establishment of specialised bodies for the management of the 0.3% turnover allocation of companies is precisely part of this dynamic.

These structures were created to strengthen the technical, administrative and operational capacities of the State in the management of financial resources generated by mining operators for the community development of communities affected by mining projects.

Today, this workshop offers us a valuable opportunity to carry out an objective, courageous and uncompromising evaluation of the path travelled. It will involve examining in particular:

• the institutional functioning of these bodies;
• the achievements already recorded;
• the difficulties encountered in the exercise of their missions;
• as well as the prospects for improvement for the years to come.

This evaluation exercise is essential. It will allow us not only to measure the effectiveness of the systemic and institutional mechanisms put in place, but also to identify the necessary adjustments, in full compliance with the Mining Code, in order to guarantee better performance of these structures in the service of the mining sector and the national interest, while taking into account several reports published by public institutions including the Court of Auditors and the EITI as well as by civil society and the alerts and proposals of the Chamber of Mines.

From 2018 to 2023, the total amount due by mining companies was 310 million, of which only 213 million was paid, due to several reasons mentioned in the Court of Auditors Report. According to the EITI-DRC 2020-2021 Report, 104 mining companies were included in the declaration perimeter, of which 54 were in production or holders of at least one exploitation permit.

These companies are those which, in principle, should declare a turnover and be subject to the 0.3% allocation. Among these 54 companies in production, 38 declared having achieved a significant turnover for the 2020 financial year, which implies that they would be subject to the payment of the 0.3% allocation.

All stakeholders must ensure that every company that owes the communities does so and that the funds are invested in sustainable projects for the future, because with an estimated average of between 50 and 60 million US dollars per year, between 400 and 480 million US dollars should be paid between 2018 and 2025 for development, not counting the contribution of other infranational fees including the Mining Royalty and the companies’ Cahiers des Charges.

The quick review of investments mentioned to date 521 projects in various sectors mainly in education, water and energy, agropastoral, health, infrastructure, environment of which 335 completed, 186 under execution. The declarations made by only 40% of the Specialised Bodies indicate 1,221 jobs created while 60% of the Specialised Bodies have not declared the jobs created by their projects.

This last observation concerns us all and obliges the imminent organisation of reflection days by all stakeholders (Parliament, government, mining companies, affected communities, decentralised territorial entities and civil society of the sector having participated in the 2018 revision of the Mining Code and Regulations), under the direction of the Presidents of the Supervisory Committee, in order to propose legal, regulatory and structural reforms to the Government of the Republic for efficient management of this allocation.

Today, the Government of the Republic, the Ministry of Mines, the populations affected by mining projects, all observers of the sector are therefore awaiting from your work rigorous analyses, constructive exchanges and above all relevant, realistic and pragmatic recommendations that will contribute to strengthening the strategic role of the specialised bodies in the sustainable development of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Hundreds of millions of US dollars have been invested and will continue to be invested during the life of several mining projects. It is time to reflect with courage on the reforms to be carried out so that our populations benefit from them in a sustainable manner.

I would like to encourage each participant to take an active part in the discussions, to share their experience and to propose innovative solutions to the challenges that arise. This is what His Excellency the President of the Republic Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo wants and expects from all of us.

Honourable Deputies and Senators, Excellency Madam Minister of State, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Government remains determined to pursue the necessary reforms, to make the mining sector, the 0.3% turnover allocation of mining companies and all other infranational payments intended for communities, a true engine of economic and social development from the base. This inevitably requires strong, high-performing and accountable institutions but also courageous reforms in compliance with the Mining Code. Her Excellency the Prime Minister Judith Suminwa is paying particular attention to this.

I remain convinced that the conclusions of this workshop will constitute an important contribution to the improvement of the functioning of our specialised bodies and, consequently, to the strengthening of the governance of the funds allocated to the sustainable community development of our communities and of the country as it is elsewhere.

With this, I encourage a smooth running of the workshop on the state of play of the functioning and achievements of the specialised bodies for the management of the 0.3% turnover allocation of mining companies.

I thank you for your kind attention and wish you every success.

Louis K. Watum

By the Editorial Team and Divine Mwenda