drC eyes stake in Bisie tin mine

摘要

The nDemocratic Republic of Congo army has completed its nwithdrawal from the Bisie tin mine, the largest in the ncountry, as the DRC government steps up its effort to clean nup trade in conflict minerals, environment and human rights norganization Global Witness said last week. While much of neastern DRC’s mineral trade remains under armed control, nthe departure of the military from Bisie is a promising ndevelopment, the group added. The DRC government and nthe UN must work with the private sector to claim recently ndemilitarized areas like Bisie for clean trade, before the narmy and other armed groups move back in, said Annie nDunnebacke, senior campaigner at Global Witness. The nmine has been under control of the army for about five nyears, and after its withdrawal, which began in March, the ngovernment hopes to attract foreign investors and mining ncorporations. Global Witness said in 2010 that the military nwas receiving between $14 million and $29 million a year nfrom the mine. The DRC is Africa’s largest tin producer, naccounting for around 5% of global output