African buzz
DRC subcontractors benefit from new rule Development and security top’s UN list
Companies that operate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) will,
from now on, be required to make use of local subcontractors in the future. Development impact on the continent and security
in the Sahel were among the top issues discussed in
a recent meeting between United Nations Secretary
General António Guterres and African Development
Bank President Akinwumi Adesina in New York.
These requirement adds to the raft of new measures mining companies have
had to contend with over the past year, after the state in March 2018 raised
taxes and other costs.
The DRC subcontracting regulator, known as the ARSP, “will launch very soon
a campaign to identify all companies that want to participate in subcontracting
activities” before licensing them, according to a statement signed by Director-
General Ahmed Kalej Nkand. All unauthorised companies “will be totally
excluded from the market place,” the statement said.
Companies operating in the DRC will be required to make use of local registered
subcontractors.
www.africanmining.co.za
Both leaders agreed that current efforts must succeed
in Africa, or risk failing globally, and emphasised the
need for deeper collaboration between their institutions
to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Guterres signalled his strong support for the African
Development Bank’s flagship ‘Desert to Power’
initiative, which is expected to provide electricity
to 250 million people. He also offered to convene a
special global meeting on Lake Chad, in consultation
with Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari.
The “Desert to Power” programme, a USD10-billion
initiative to build a 10 GW solar zone across the
Sahel – the largest in the world – aims to develop and
provide 10GW of solar energy by 2025 and supply 250
million people with green electricity, including in some
of the world’s poorest countries.
JULY - AUGUST 2019 AFRICAN MINING
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