Kinshasa: Twangiza Mining, a gold mining firm operating in the volatile South Kivu Province of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, has suspended its operations following a directive from the M23 rebel administration that now controls the region. The company’s decision was outlined in an internal letter dated May 8, seen by Reuters, which instructed all staff to halt work immediately.
“Following directives from the new administration in place in South Kivu Province, Twangiza Mining is obliged to suspend its activities,” wrote General Director Chao Xianfeng. He noted that all equipment and vehicles were being placed into standby mode pending further instruction.
The suspension underscores growing tensions over the control of natural resources in Congo’s conflict-ridden east. The mineral-rich provinces, long at the center of regional instability, have increasingly come under the control of the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group. Their advances have shifted administrative control over key economic assets, generating a new layer of uncertainty for foreign mining operators and sending ripples through international commodity markets.
Earlier this year, the M23 rebels captured large swathes of the eastern DRC, including mining zones crucial to the global gold supply chain. With their territorial hold consolidating, they have moved swiftly to assert financial and administrative authority over existing businesses.
Manu Birato, recently appointed by M23 as the governor of South Kivu, accused Twangiza Mining of previously evading its fiscal responsibilities under the former administration.
“We are in talks with them and showing them that from now on they must start paying taxes,” Birato told Reuters.
Also Read | European Leaders Warn Putin: Accept 30-Day Ukraine Ceasefire or Face Fresh Sanctions
“The country had received absolutely nothing in taxes from this company. The money went into private coffers,” he said, adding that the administration had not ordered the shutdown of operations.
“We told them they had to start paying taxes. They are having a hard time adjusting to this new requirement, given that they were used to paying nothing,” Birato added.
Also Read | Putin Calls for Direct Peace Talks with Ukraine in Istanbul After Three Years of War
A spokesperson for Twangiza declined to comment on Birato’s allegations.
The dispute reflects the broader challenges posed by rebel governance structures trying to legitimize their control while seeking revenues from valuable mining operations. Analysts warn that such standoffs may dissuade further investment in the region and complicate humanitarian and security efforts already strained by years of armed conflict.
