August 26, 2026 — Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo
IMPACT officially launched the Coexisting for Sustainability project: Stability and Security for Mining Communities in Democratic Republic of Congo. The ceremony brought together provincial authorities, mining cooperatives, industrial companies, civil society, and the media. Funded by the Government of Canada, this 24-month project aims to strengthen coexistence between artisanal and industrial copper and cobalt mining in Lualaba and Haut-Katanga.
In these two provinces, the scarcity of viable, authorized areas for artisanal mining, the presence of artisanal mining activities on or near industrial concessions, and weak dialogue mechanisms can contribute to misunderstandings and tensions. The Coexisting for Sustainability project seeks to help stakeholders better understand their rights and responsibilities, access reliable information, and engage in dialogue within a more structured framework.
Three Areas of Action
The project focuses on three complementary areas of action. The first addresses the legitimacy, governance, and representation of mining cooperatives to strengthen their capacity for dialogue with industrial companies.
The second focuses on stakeholder participation in managing access to authorized mining areas and situations where artisanal and industrial mining overlap. In particular, the project will examine the opportunities, limitations, and implementation of Article 30(e) of the Mining Code to better understand the conditions needed for safer and better-organized coexistence.
The third pillar aims to revitalize multi stakeholder dialogue among cooperatives, companies, authorities, civil society, and communities to support evidence-based solutions.
According to Félicien Mbikayi, IMPACT’s Country Representative in DRC, “Coexistence cannot be imposed. It is built when stakeholders have a safe space to talk to one another, understand their responsibilities, and transform tensions into credible solutions.”
A Clearly Defined Mandate
The project facilitates dialogue without taking the place of the relevant authorities. It does not allocate mining sites, titles, or land. It also does not guarantee access to an industrial concession or adjudicate individual disputes. Its role is to support stakeholders, strengthen capacity, and facilitate discussions grounded in applicable law and realities on-the-ground.
Next Steps After the Launch
Over 24-months, the project plans to support 20 mining cooperatives and contribute to establishing and strengthening a multi stakeholder framework for managing mining-related conflicts. The next steps will bring together authorities, mining companies, cooperatives, civil society, and communities for assessments, analysis, capacity-building activities, and dialogue in Lualaba and Haut-Katanga.
The objective is to create conditions that foster a better understanding of the rules, regular dialogue among stakeholders, and safer, more sustainable coexistence between artisanal and industrial mining.
Project
Coexisting for Sustainability
Stability and Security of Mining Communities in Democratic Republic of Congo
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