Martin Kobler, the Head of MONUSCO, calls for natural resources that benefit everyone

24 mar 2014

Martin Kobler, the Head of MONUSCO, calls for natural resources that benefit everyone


Goma, 24 March 2014:
Martin Kobler, the Head of MONUSCO announced this Monday the United Nations’ support for regulated, fair and clean exploitation of natural resources in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“The United Nations family is prepared to back the exploitation, production and export of clean minerals in DRC. Specifically, it wants to forge an area of peace and stability, to foster the development of the private sector and enhance State revenues and, finally, to insist on social and economic development” said Mr. Martin at the opening ceremony of the mining conference in Goma.

The head of MONUSCO also welcomed the support of the Government and the Governor’s office for massive and equitable private sector investment in North Kivu. These private investments are pre-conditions for sustainable and balanced development in eastern DRC. The legalizing and regulating of mineral exploitation will help turn the islands of stability into islands of prosperity.

“The very resources that were used to fuel the main threats to security must now be used to fuel actions for stability and peace consolidation both at the national and regional levels”, said Martin Kobler. " Now we need to work out a cleaner and more balanced and transparent exploitation that would help increase State revenues through clear and fair taxation," he concluded.