Belgium open to bigger role in Congo minerals sector, foreign minister says
The vast Central African nation is home to large reserves of copper, cobalt, lithium and uranium among other minerals, but chronic instability has long been an obstacle to the foreign investment needed to fully develop them.
Kinshasa is currently on a push to attract new players to the sector and talks are already under way with Washington after a Congolese senator pitching a minerals-for-security deal contacted U.S. officials.
Asked by Reuters on Monday about possible interest in Congolese minerals, Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Prevot said Belgium had firms with the know-how to ramp up its role in the sector.
"We have globally recognised expertise with players like Umicore and John Cockerill, who have the capacity to process all these rare critical materials," he said.
"If one day the opportunity arises to also be an investment partner, we will not pull back," he added.
Despite China's dominance, Belgian firms have been involved in mining, processing and trading Congolese cobalt, copper and diamonds for decades.
Belgium-based global materials technology group Umicore (UMI.BR), opens new tab signed a deal with state miner Gecamines last year to ship germanium concentrates to Europe.
Prevot said Belgium's approach to working with Congo was good for both countries, contrasting it with how some other partners operated.
"We observe the motivations of other international actors that can sometimes have a more transactional approach," he said.
Prevot was due to visit the city of Beni on Tuesday as part of a trip intended to draw attention to serious human rights issues, particularly in Congo's eastern provinces where the army is facing an offensive by Rwandan-backed M23 rebels.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
18 minutes ago
- Reuters
Bank of England lends record 74 billion pounds in weekly repo
July 3 (Reuters) - The Bank of England allotted a record 74.225 billion pounds ($101.32 billion) in seven-day funds in its weekly short-term repo operation on Thursday, higher than a previous record of 72.782 billion pounds set last week. The central bank uses its short-term repo operations as a way to provide banks with reserves as it sells down its stockpile of government bonds bought under its quantitative easing programme. ($1 = 0.7325 pounds)
NBC News
27 minutes ago
- NBC News
U.S. contractors tell the AP that their colleagues are shooting at Palestinians seeking food in Gaza
BEERSHEBA, Israel — American contractors guarding aid distribution sites in Gaza are using live ammunition and stun grenades as hungry Palestinians scramble for food, according to accounts and videos obtained by The Associated Press. Two U.S. contractors, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were revealing their employers' internal operations, said they were coming forward because they were disturbed by what they considered dangerous and irresponsible practices. They said the security staff hired were often unqualified, unvetted, heavily armed and seemed to have an open license to do whatever they wished. They said their colleagues regularly lobbed stun grenades and pepper spray in the direction of the Palestinians. One contractor said bullets were fired in all directions — in the air, into the ground and at times toward the Palestinians, recalling at least one instance where he thought someone had been hit. 'There are innocent people being hurt. Badly. Needlessly,' the contractor said. He said American staff on the sites monitor those coming to seek food and document anyone considered 'suspicious.' He said they share such information with the Israeli military. Videos provided by one of the contractors and taken at the sites show hundreds of Palestinians crowded between metal gates, jostling for aid amid the sound of bullets, stun grenades and the sting of pepper spray. Other videos include conversation between English-speaking men discussing how to disperse crowds and encouraging each other after bursts of gunfire. NBC News has not obtained or reviewed the videos. The testimonies from the contractors — combined with the videos, internal reports and text messages obtained by the AP — offer a rare glimpse inside the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the newly created, secretive American organization backed by Israel to feed the Gaza Strip's population. Last month, the U.S. government pledged $30 million for the group to continue operations — the first known U.S. donation to the group, whose other funding sources remain opaque. Journalists have been unable to access the GHF sites, located in Israeli military-controlled zones. The AP and NBC News cannot independently verify the contractors' stories. On Wednesday, officials in Switzerland initiated proceedings to dissolve the Geneva branch of the GHF, citing legal shortcomings in its establishment, Reuters reported. The group is registered in the U.S. state of Delaware and had registered an affiliate in Geneva on February 12. The Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations (ESA), a Swiss regulatory body, told Reuters the GHF had not fulfilled certain legal requirements including having the correct number of board members, a postal address or a Swiss bank account. 'GHF confirmed to the ESA that it had never carried out activities in that it intends to dissolve the Geneva-registered (branch),' the ESA said in a statement obtained by Reuters. A spokesperson for Safe Reach Solutions, the logistics company subcontracted by GHF, told the AP that there have been no serious injuries at any of their sites to date. In scattered incidents, security professionals fired live rounds into the ground and away from civilians to get their attention. That happened in the early days at the 'the height of desperation where crowd control measures were necessary for the safety and security of civilians,' the spokesperson said. Gaza's more than 2 million Palestinians are living through a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, setting off the 21-month war, Israel has bombarded and laid siege to the strip, leaving many teetering on the edge of famine, according to food security experts. For 2 1/2 months before GHF's opening in May, Israel blocked all food, water and medicine from entering Gaza, claiming Hamas was stealing the aid being transported under a preexisting system coordinated by the United Nations. It now wants GHF to replace that U.N. system. The U.N. says its Gaza aid operations do not involve armed guards. Over 57,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed since the war erupted, according to the territory's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and militants. GHF is an American organization, registered in Delaware and established in February to distribute humanitarian aid during the ongoing Gaza humanitarian crisis. Since the GHF sites began operating more than a month ago, Palestinians say Israeli troops open fire almost every day toward crowds on roads heading to the distribution points, through Israeli military zones. Several hundred people have been killed and hundreds more wounded, according to Gaza's Health Ministry and witnesses. In response, Israel's military says it fires only warning shots and is investigating reports of civilian harm. It denies deliberately shooting at any innocent civilians and says it's examining how to reduce 'friction with the population' in the areas surrounding the distribution centers. AP's reporting for this article focuses on what is happening at the sites themselves. Palestinians arriving at the sites say they are caught between Israeli and American fire, said the contractor who shared videos with the AP. 'We have come here to get food for our families. We have nothing,' he recounted Palestinians telling him. 'Why does the [Israeli] army shoot at us? Why do you shoot at us?' A spokesperson for the GHF said there are people with a 'vested interest' in seeing it fail and are willing to do or say almost anything to make that happen. The spokesperson said the team is composed of seasoned humanitarian, logistics and security professionals with deep experience on the ground. The group says it has distributed the equivalent of more than 50 million meals in Gaza in its food boxes of staples. GHF says that it has consistently shown compassionate engagement with the people of Gaza. Throughout the war, aid distribution has been marred by chaos. Gangs have looted trucks of aid traveling to distribution centers and mobs of desperate people have also offloaded trucks before they've reached their destination. Earlier this month, at least 51 Palestinians were killed and more than 200 wounded while waiting for the U.N. and commercial trucks to enter the territory, according to Gaza's Health Ministry and a local hospital. Israel's military acknowledged several casualties as soldiers opened fire on the approaching crowd and said authorities would investigate. AP spoke to the two contractors for UG Solutions, an American outfit subcontracted to hire security personnel for the distribution sites. They said bullets, stun grenades and pepper spray were used at nearly every distribution, even if there was no threat. Videos of aid being dispensed at the sites seen by the AP appear to back up the frenetic scenes the contractors described. The footage was taken within the first two weeks of its distributions — about halfway into the operations. In one video, what appear to be heavily armed American security contractors at one of the sites in Gaza discuss how to disperse Palestinians nearby. One is heard saying he has arranged for a 'show of force' by Israeli tanks. 'I don't want this to be too aggressive,' he adds, 'because this is calming down.' At that moment, bursts of gunfire erupt close by, at least 15 shots. 'Whoo! Whoo!' one contractor yelps. 'I think you hit one,' one says. Then comes a shout: 'Hell, yeah, boy!' The camera's view is obscured by a large dirt mound. The contractor who took the video told AP that he saw other contractors shooting in the direction of Palestinians who had just collected their food and were departing. The men shot both from a tower above the site and from atop the mound, he said. The shooting began because contractors wanted to disperse the crowd, he said, but it was unclear why they continued shooting as people were walking away. The camera does not show who was shooting or what was being shot at. But the contractor who filmed it said he watched another contractor fire at the Palestinians and then saw a man about 60 yards (meters) away — in the same direction where the bullets were fired — drop to the ground. This happened at the same time the men were heard talking — effectively egging each other on, he said. In other videos furnished by the contractor, men in grey uniforms — colleagues, he said — can be seen trying to clear Palestinians who are squeezed into a narrow, fenced-in passage leading to one of the centers. The men fire pepper spray and throw stun grenades that detonate amid the crowd. The sound of gunfire can be heard. The contractor who took the video said the security personnel usually fire at the ground near the crowds or from nearby towers over their heads. During a single distribution in June, contractors used 37 stun grenades, 27 rubber-and-smoke 'scat shell' projectiles and 60 cans of pepper spray, according to internal text communications shared with the AP. That count does not include live ammunition, the contractor who provided the videos said. One photo shared by that contractor shows a woman lying in a donkey cart after he said she was hit in the head with part of a stun grenade. An internal report by Safe Reach Solutions, the logistics company subcontracted by GHF to run the sites, found that aid seekers were injured during 31% of the distributions that took place in a two-week period in June. The report did not specify the number of injuries or the cause. SRS told the AP the report refers to non-serious injuries. More videos show frenzied scenes of Palestinians running to collect leftover food boxes at one site. Hundreds of young men crowd near low metal barriers, transferring food from boxes to bags while contractors on the other side of the barriers tell them to stay back. Some Palestinians wince and cough from pepper spray. 'You tasting that pepper spray? Yuck,' one man close to the camera can be heard saying in English. SRS acknowledged that it's dealing with large, hungry populations, but said the environment is secure, controlled, and ensures people can get the aid they need safely.
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Chinese car giant to launch as standalone brand in UK with its own network of dealerships rivalling Hyundai, Kia & Skoda
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MAJOR Chinese car brand has announced it will be launching in the UK. The motors firm will put one of its most popular models on the British market towards the end of the year. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Geely is set to launch on the UK market at the end of the year (stock image) Credit: Reuters Geely, which owns LEVC, Lotus, Polestar, and Volvo, will soon be launching in the UK. British showrooms will see the Geely EX5 in the final quarter of the year. And the brand will open its own standalone dealership network in the UK. The model is an electric crossover designed to rival the Skoda Elroq, Kia EV3, and Renault Megane. Geely said the EX5 has been assessed by Lotus Engineering to evaluate whether it requires retuning for European roads. Model details UK specifications have yet to be announced while globally, the crossover is offered with a choice of 49.5kWh or 60.2kWh battery packs. The 60.2kWh pack yields a range of up to 264 miles on the WLTP test cycle. And they can be charged at a rate of up to 100kW on a DC connection, giving the bigger battery a 30-80% refill in 20 minutes. It also has a single front-mounted motor that puts out 215bhp, giving a 0-62mph sprint time of 6.9sec. Inside, the car seats five and features a 15.4in infotainment touchscreen. World's thinnest car measuring just 19in wide that's skinnier than a motorbike is unveiled… & it works if you can fit in UK market While prices have yet to be announced, the EX5 starts from $40,990 (£19,500) in Australia. This hints at a potential price of between £25,000 and £30,000 here in the UK. Geely said that fleet buyers are expected to be a 'key segment' for the model. They reported that these customers account for the majority of EV sales at present. The company added that it was confident that it will appeal to UK buyers. Car Auctions: How To Nab A Bargain Car auctions are a way to sell vehicles based on a bidding system with the highest offer securing the deal. Auctions aren't restricted to the rich and famous as thousands of cars are sold at motor auctions in the UK each week. Here's what you need to know before attending an auction: Be prepared: Do your research on the car you would like to purchase beforehand. Check the car: Cars will usually be lined up before the start, so make sure to arrive early to inspect the desired car thoroughly. Have a back-up: Be ready for disappointment as your desired motor may be sold to someone else and select a few back-ups. Be realistic: Realise that there won't be a "perfect" car at an auction and adjust expectations accordingly. Set a budget: It is easy to overspend in the heat of the moment during bidding. Ensure you have set a budget and do not go over it. Key phrases to look out for: 'No major mechanical faults' – suggests that there shouldn't be any issues with the car's drivetrain, gearbox, suspension, or engine. – suggests that there shouldn't be any issues with the car's drivetrain, gearbox, suspension, or engine. 'Specified faults' – the auctioneer will read out specific faults. – the auctioneer will read out specific faults. 'Sold as seen' – the vehicle is sold with any problems it may have. The auction company will rarely entertain complaints regarding the mechanical or cosmetic condition of these vehicles after sale. – the vehicle is sold with any problems it may have. The auction company will rarely entertain complaints regarding the mechanical or cosmetic condition of these vehicles after sale. 'Sold with a warranted mileage' - The car is being offered based on the report, which confirms the mileage through an independent check. Deliveries are earmarked to begin between October and the end of the year. Additional Geely models are set to follow in 2026. The move comes as the brand attempts to tap new markets for rapid growth. They have set out to add more than 300 non-Chinese dealers and service centres to their global portfolio by the end of the year. Geely sold nearly 2.2 million cars last year, which is up 34% compared from 2024. More car brands An iconic hatchback is set to return three decades after it was discontinued. Meanwhile, another car brand faces factory closures over electric vehicle targets. And a road test of the Kia EV6 GT that is now £2,690 cheaper.
