• Government publishes the joint Mines–Finance circular needed to restart exports

• Miners faced weeks of delays despite the embargo being lifted in mid-October

• First shipments are expected only at the end of the month due to lengthy procedures

Cobalt exports from the Democratic Republic of Congo can now resume following the release of a joint circular from the Ministries of Mines and Finance on December 2, 2025. The document sets out the practical rules for export operations. Until its publication, shipments had remained blocked despite the formal end of the export embargo on October 15.

Mining companies had grown increasingly frustrated with the delays. On November 25, John Woto, deputy managing director of Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM), questioned the holdup during the mining session of the Makutano Forum, noting that the sector had been told to wait for the joint ministerial order without clarity on its timing or its purpose.

In response, Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba said exports should have restarted during the week of November 24–30. He explained that the delay stemmed from the need to update the export procedures manual to reflect directives from the Authority for the Regulation and Control of Strategic Mineral Substances (Arecoms), including new advance-payment requirements for certain fees.

According to the minister, technical teams from the Mines and Finance ministries had to align their systems to apply the new framework. He said a full-scale test run involving all services took place the previous week and that, in his view, exports could resume immediately after the circular was signed.

The document released today was signed on November 26 by the Mines Minister. According to a member of the Chamber of Mines at the Federation of Congolese Enterprises (FEC), the Finance Minister’s signature was the final element needed.

With the circular now published, cobalt exports can resume. However, the first ton is not expected to leave the country until the end of the month because export procedures take several weeks.

Pierre Mukoko, Bankable