DR Congo prepares mining asset reserve for US investors
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Beto
Illustrative image · Neneqo Fotógrafo · Pexels · Licence PexelsDR Congo and the United States are examining the operational framework for the Strategic Asset Reserve, intended to select and develop critical minerals, gold assets and unlicensed mining areas. The mechanism is to facilitate their development through US investors, according to their joint statement.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United States have examined the operational framework for the Strategic Asset Reserve (SAR), including procedures for identifying and designating eligible mining assets and arrangements for mobilising qualified US investors, according to their joint statement.
The SAR comprises three categories of assets provided for by the strategic partnership agreement of 4 December 2025: critical minerals, gold assets and unlicensed mining exploration areas. The list can be updated by Kinshasa in consultation with Washington, while a joint steering committee is to keep it up to date. Eligible US investors have a right of first offer on the projects concerned, with three months to submit a proposal followed by three months of negotiations, renewable once.
The procedure can therefore last up to nine months before an opportunity listed in the reserve can be opened to other investors. The SAR does not correspond to a physical stock of minerals, but to an evolving selection of mining projects intended to facilitate their exploration, development and exploitation.
The establishment of this mechanism comes as DR Congo and the United States seek to process critical minerals locally, according to an article published on 6 November. It is also part of the partnership covering critical minerals, the Grand Inga dam and the Lobito Corridor presented on 7 November in DR Congo-USA: critical minerals, Grand Inga and Lobito accelerate partnership.
