Congo – UK Partnership Revived with £500 Million Mining Guarantee

The Democratic Republic of Congo returned to centre stage in London this October as the Financial Times Africa Summit 2025 brought together policy‑makers and investors to discuss critical minerals and sustainable investment. Speaking on the margins of the 21–22 October summit, Mines Minister Louis Kabamba Watum courted international financiers with a powerful message: the DRC is open for business yet committed to sovereign control of its resources. Only about 10 % of the national territory has been explored, he reminded participants. Under President Félix‑Antoine Tshisekedi’s leadership, the country wants to transform itself into a global hub for processing and valorising strategic minerals essential for the energy transition

Key outcomes: guarantees, missions, and commitments

£500 million UKEF guarantee

The highlight of Mr Watum’s London mission was the announcement that UK Export Finance (UKEF) will guarantee £500 million to support British companies operating in the DRC’s mining and infrastructure sectors. This guarantee, brokered through the UK’s Department for Business and Trade and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, signals a revival of bilateral economic cooperation after years of limited engagement.

British investor mission to Kinshasa

Alongside the guarantee, a delegation of British investors will travel to Kinshasa in January 2026. Organised in partnership with UKEF, the Department for Business and Trade, and the British Embassy, the mission will give UK businesses direct access to priority mining, energy, and infrastructure projects. Developing Markets Associates, which is coordinating the trip, says the mission will allow investors to explore bankable projects and build partnerships. The trip’s scheduling underscores confidence that the DRC offers viable opportunities in critical mineral value chains.

Nigerian finance and bank support

British enthusiasm was matched by Nigerian and pan‑African financial institutions. Standard Bank, which operates across Africa, reiterated that it has invested over US$1 billion in Congo’s mining sector. The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), a multilateral development financier headquartered in Lagos, announced its willingness to invest up to US$5 billion in new mining and energy infrastructure. AFC has already mobilised over US$14 billion across Africa and counts the Kamoa‑Kakula copper mine among its notable mining investments

Kinshasa’s strategic mineral ambition

Congo’s pitch rests on its unique resource endowment. Minister Watum reminded investors that the DRC has an estimated US$20 trillion in untapped mining opportunities and supplies more than 70 % of the world’s cobalt, a metal critical for electric‑vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage. Advances in remote sensing, advanced geoscience, and artificial intelligence make it possible to shorten exploration times, enabling the DRC to accelerate discoveries while respecting environmental standards. The government has attracted over US$40 billion in investment from companies such as Zijin Mining, Ivanhoe Mines, CMOC‑Tenke Fungurume, Glencore, and Barrick Gold. National copper production now exceeds three million tonnes per year, underlining the DRC’s role as a cornerstone of the global energy transition.

Louis Kabamba Watum: economic diplomat in action

Mr Watum used his London visit to personify economic diplomacy as a tool of sovereignty and development. After the summit, he visited the London Metal Exchange to discuss listing Congolese mining companies and improving price‑setting mechanisms. He also engaged the DRC‑UK Chamber of Commerce and business leaders, where the UKEF guarantee and the January investor mission were agreed. Throughout his engagements, he stressed that the DRC offers investors security, transparency, and balanced partnerships, highlighting reforms that attracted tens of billions of dollars and won support from the World Bank and IMF. His diplomatic charm offensive projected competence and confidence, portraying the DRC as a trustworthy destination for long‑term investment.

Sovereignty and President Tshisekedi’s vision

Under President Félix‑Antoine Tshisekedi, economic policy has shifted towards adding value at home rather than simply exporting raw minerals. The president has publicly rejected the idea of auctioning Congo’s resources; instead, his government seeks partnerships to develop infrastructure and downstream processing. Analysts note that Kinshasa’s focus on local industrialisation and job creation is essential if the country is to avoid remaining a passive supplier of raw materials. In New York, Mr Tshisekedi pledged not to allow external pressure to compromise this strategy, reinforcing an approach that aligns sovereign control with global energy transition objectives.

A confident path forward

The £500 million UKEF guarantee, the January British investor mission, and multi‑billion‑dollar commitments from Standard Bank and the Africa Finance Corporation demonstrate that international investors recognise the DRC’s strategic importance. These developments, secured through proactive diplomacy by Minister Louis Kabamba Watum, suggest a renaissance in Congo–UK economic relations. With reforms improving governance and transparency, and with a government determined to process its minerals at home, the DRC is positioning itself as a global hub for strategic minerals and a cornerstone of the green energy transition. As investors prepare to descend on Kinshasa in 2026, Congo’s message is clear: economic sovereignty and international partnership can coexist, propelling the nation toward a future of inclusive growth and industrial transformation.