DR Congo and Glencore clash over tax on Kamoto copper mine amid US critical‑minerals push

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s tax authority sealed the offices of Kamoto Copper Company (KCC) in Kolwezi after a dispute over an alleged multibillion‑dollar tax liability against Glencore. The dispute centers on accusations that Glencore used transfer‑pricing arrangements to reduce taxable income from its Congolese operations. While the seizure targeted administrative offices, Glencore says mining and processing continue uninterrupted and it remains in talks with the government.

The conflict coincides with negotiations by a US‑backed consortium, Orion Critical Minerals, to acquire a 40 % stake in Glencore’s interests at Kamoto and the nearby Mutanda mine. The deal is part of Washington’s effort to secure supplies of copper and cobalt, strategic minerals for electric‑vehicle batteries and defence technologies, outside China’s processing network. President Félix Tshisekedi has urged ministries to balance tax enforcement with investor confidence and ordered the removal of security personnel from mining sites to avoid undermining the sector’s attractiveness.

The outcome of the dispute could affect billions of dollars of investment, the reliability of critical‑minerals supply chains, and future foreign‑investment frameworks in the DRC’s mining sector.