THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO MUST CANCEL THE DISPOSAL AND TRANSFER OF THE SOMIKO GOLD DEPOSITS TO AJN RESOURCES

Durba-Kinshasa-Kolwezi-Lubumbashi 2020

The Civil society organizations signatories to this Press release are still concerned by the Press release published by AJN Resources on March 1, 2020, signed from Vancouver (Canada) by its CEO and President Klaus Eckhof, announcing that it has given up acquiring the 10 % of the shares that SOKIMO holds in the joint venture between it and Barrick / Anglogold Ashanti in the Kibali Goldmines Company, but confirming its temerity to continue with  »due diligence » process for the acquisition by disposal of all the shares, which we call  »BRADAGE », in the following projects :

– Zani Kodo 30%

– Giro Goldfields 35%

– Wanga 35%

– Nizi 30%

– South Kibali 30%

According to that Press release from AJN Resources, of which we had received a copy, the disposal of SOKIMO’s shares in all these projects will allow AJN Resource to mobilize only 20 million Canadian dollars, the equivalent of 17 million USD.

The signatory Organizations also read the laconic and unconvincing Communiqué of the Ministry of the Portfolio of March 02, 2020 on its Official Facebook Page signed by Mr. Kabasele Bakenza Gentil Baker, the Chief of Staff of the Minister’s Office.

The signatory organizations remind the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and the Ministers of the Portfolio and the Mines, in the name of Transparency and Good Governance, that to give up 30% of the shares in the Kibali South project whereas the proven reserves are worth more than 2 billion USD to an unknown company is equivalent to  »BRADAGE » of the national assets by the Board of Directors and the Management Committee of SOKIMO with the state’s blessing.

The signatory organizations condemn the sale of SOKIMO shares to a company which does not provide any funding for SOKIMO but which wants to raise funds, 20 million Canadian dollars, on the international market.

They ask themselves the real reasons pushing for this  »BRADAGE » of one of precious national mining assets for the benefit of the unknowns who are called  »JUNIOR MINING COMPANY » of the sector while SOKIMO and the State are in business with a  »MAJOR MINING COMPANY », the biggest world producer of gold Barrick Gold, with sufficient financial resources and proven expertise to develop several mineral deposits in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

They reiterate their urgent request to the President of the Republic and Head of State and to the Prime Minister to convene an urgent Council of Ministers to enlighten the Congolese citizens, natural owners of state-owned public enterprises, including SOKIMO, on this scandalous transfer.

Our Organizations urgently demand from the Parliament, representative of the Congolese people and legal defender of their interests, to:

1. Summon the Prime Minister, the Minister of Mines and the Minister of the Portfolio to have in-depth information on this opaque transaction which transfers an important national mining asset ;

We demand that the Government of the DRC :

1. Order SOKIMO to take into account the pre-emptive right of Barrick Gold and Anglogold Ashanti before selling its shares, considering the case of Gécamines in the Tenke Fungurume Mining projects against the Chinese group CMOC, CMSK against the Group Forrest International, and on the Deziwa deposit facing the Canadian group Platmin;

2. To cancel this transfer while waiting to find a possibility of financing the companies of the State Portfolio from in particular the Mining Fund for future generations or by other companies such as the CNSS and SONAS,

3. If the need arises to sell these shares and deposits, submit the transfer process to a call for tenders in order to guarantee transparency and allow the best offerer, experienced and credible to acquire these shares.

4. That the Ministers of Portfolio and Mines jointly take an urgent decision cancelling this transfer and BRADAGE, and suspend the Management Committee and the Board of Directors of SOKIMO for the sale of the national assets and serious breach.

            Done in Durba-Kinshasa-Kolwezi-Lubumbashi, March 03, 2020.

For the fourteen signatory organizations and platforms

Noms	Organisations	Contacts
Ernest MPARARO	LICOCO	+243816049837
Franck FWAMBA	TOUCHE PAS A MON COBALT	+243810348785
Henri MUHIYA	CERN/CENCO	+243810526141
King MUSHILANAMA	HDH	+243997013407
Timothée MBUYA	JUSTICIA	+243994075131
Jeef KAZADI	PRESS-CLUB RDC	+243810241942
René NGONGO	OCEAN	+243998334500
Schadrack MUKAD	COORDINATION CADRE DE CONCERTATION DE LA SOCIETE CIVILE DU LUALABA	+243815388040
	CASMIA
	LINAPEDHO
Mike LAMEKI	ESPOIR ONG	+243978646773
Georges BOKUNDU	SARW	+243817070127
Devoe NGOY	RND ASBL	+243816092845
Jean-Luc KAYOKO	PODEFIP	+243815888985

Media Contacts :

– Ernest MPARARO

– Georges BOKUNDU

– Franck FWAMBA

– Henry MUHIYA