While some of his partners are being prosecuted or convicted of corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Israeli businessman Dan Gertler strikes back. He spoke to the Congolese in a video on Monday, November 16. He promises them to take shares in royalties from the Metalkol mine.
With our special correspondent in Kinshasa, Sonia Rolley
Dan Gertler has been subject to US sanctions since 2017 and has been formally accused in recent weeks by US justice of paying bribes to Congolese officials.
On Monday, all the press had been invited to attend a press conference in Kinshasa. Finally, the one we nicknamed Joseph Kabila’s friend spoke via video and in English.
He swears to have invested more than € 10 billion in twenty years in the DRC’s mining sector, which is contested by Congolese and international NGOs.
“I think I’m Congolese. I have spent most of my time in the last twenty – three years in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nobody understood what they were doing there and they asked me: Mr Gertler, why invest so much? Why on long-term investments? “.
Accused of corrupting Congolese officials in a recent U.S. court ruling against the African subsidiary of the investment fund Och Ziff, Dan Gertler today promises Congolese to benefit from an open partnership on the royalties paid for each tonne exported from Metal Coal Mine.
“With God’s help, we have come to a point today where we will be able to share the wealth in the DRC’s cobalt and copper mines. All Congolese who become our partners will be paid for each tonne exported. It is a first story that Congolese citizens will be able to benefit from the wealth of Congo. “
According to Africa Progress, a foundation run by Kofi Annan, Metalkol is a mine in Kolwezi and other concessions that Israeli Dan Gertler would have received for almost $ 64 million and sold for ten times the cost of the company. Kazakh ENRC.
Please note that Dan Gertler did not specify the terms of this partnership that he says he offers to the Congolese. Its communications service assured that details would be provided in the coming days. He says he paid almost $ 83 million for Metalkol.
These royalties were sold by Gecamines, the state-owned mining company, in 2017 to Dan Gertler under the guise of a shell company based in the British Virgin Islands, Multree limited, for $ 55 million.
Lucha and Filimbi demonstrate
Outside, members of the civic movements, Lucha and Filimbi, demonstrated. Dr. Jacques Issongo, Lucha activist, explains the reason for this demonstration.
We decided to protest today because we believe that Dan Gertler is an economic thief. He plundered the DRC with his friend Kabila […]. This is for us an essential motive so that it can no longer have markets in the Democratic Republic of Congo and also require the initiation of investigations into its assets.
Jacques Issongo, activist for the civic movement Lucha
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