Resource Contracts is an open library of oil, gas and mining contracts managed by the Institute of Natural Resources Governance, the Columbia Center for Sustainable Investment and the World Bank, in which mining project contracts between most countries and enterprises can be searched. According to the resource contract library, in 2023, the Democratic Republic of the Congo mainly signed mining contracts with two Asian countries: a trade agreement with China's Luoyang Luanchuan Molybdenum Group Co., Ltd. and a cooperation agreement with the Japan Metal and Energy Security Organization (JOGMEC) in the field of mineral resources and satellite image analysis.
China and Japan are the main Asian partners of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The two countries have ongoing mining cooperation projects with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which mainly introduces the mining cooperation between Japan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Japan Metal and Energy Security Organization is closely connected with the Japanese government. It was established by the Japan National Petroleum Corporation (JNOC) and the Japan Metal Mining Agency (MMAJ), which is mainly responsible for the exploration and development of overseas oil and mineral resources. At present, Japan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are carrying out satellite image analysis and field research projects based on remote sensing and geographic information systems.
The project aims to strengthen and promote the relationship between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Japan in the field of mineral resources, accelerate Japan's investment in the exploration and development of mineral resources in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and transfer Japan's remote sensing and geographic information system analysis technology to engineers and geologists designated by the Ministry of Mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In short, Japan brings resource exploration technology to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo needs to provide Japan with all existing geological, geochemical and geophysical information. The project began in 2018 and expired on March 31, 2023. The two sides expressed their desire to continue technical cooperation to develop the mineral resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Therefore, the contract was renewed for three years, which can be extended again through a written agreement between the two parties. On August 10, 2023, Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasunori Nishimura visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo and proposed to strengthen business exchanges and expand mining cooperation with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Congo's cobalt production accounts for 70% of global production, and Japan hopes to cooperate to use advanced technology to explore key minerals used in batteries such as cobalt and lithium.
Although other Asian countries except China and Japan have not carried out large-scale mining cooperation projects with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there is also cooperation in other areas. For example, South Korea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have cooperation in infrastructure and military, and India and the Democratic Republic of the Congo maintain cooperation in investment and trade.
It is worth mentioning that on August 31, 2023, South Korean special envoy Yoon Sang Jick led a delegation of South Korean investors to visit the Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Antoinette N'samba Kalambayi, expressing South Korea's interest in Congolese nickel, lithium, cobalt and other minerals, and expressing his hope to cooperate with the Democratic Republic of the Congo in mining processing. The Ministry of Mines of the Democratic Republic of the Congo welcomes this and hopes to further negotiate the specific matters of mining cooperation between the two countries through a memorandum of understanding.