The state-owned gold trading company in the Democratic Republic of Congo is targeting the purchase and sale of 15 metric tons of artisanal gold in 2026, as the government intensifies efforts to formalize the country’s small-scale mining sector and boost official gold exports, Reuters reported.
The trading firm, DRC Gold Trading, was created in December 2022 as a joint venture with investors from the United Arab Emirates, but the Congolese government took full ownership in 2024 as part of a strategy to channel artisanal gold production through formal markets and curb widespread smuggling, according to Reuters.
Under a February agreement with the Central Bank of Congo, the central bank will have priority access to gold collected by the company to help strengthen the country’s national reserves, while prices will be aligned with international market benchmarks, the company’s chief executive Joseph Kazibaziba said in comments cited by Reuters.
Officials say the initiative is part of a broader effort to integrate artisanal miners into the formal economy, increase transparency in gold trading, and ensure the country captures greater value from its mineral resources as global demand for bullion continues to rise.
Image Credit: www.bullionvault.cc
