The Anhui Congo Investment Company (SACIM) in Kasai-Oriental is grappling with mounting challenges, raising serious concerns across the region.
A SACIM manager, speaking to Actualité.cd on February 26, 2025, revealed that the company, which typically produces around 300,000 carats of diamonds per month, is struggling to sell its output due to newly imposed price restrictions.
Ministerial Decree No. 00049/CAB.MIN/MINES/01/2022, issued on February 22, 2022, limits SACIM to selling its diamonds to only four designated buyers under the supervision of the Center for Expertise and Certification (CEEC). Additionally, the regulated price has been lowered from $12 to $8 per carat, exacerbating the company’s financial difficulties.
Expressing concern over SACIM’s sustainability, the manager—who spoke on condition of anonymity—warned that the situation is severely affecting operations. “We can no longer fulfill our social responsibilities, pay salaries, provide food and medical care for staff, or sustain production by maintaining equipment and covering industrial costs,” he said.
Placide Lufuluabo, President of Miabi Civil Society, echoed these concerns, highlighting growing unrest among employees. He noted that many workers, who have gone over 10 months without pay, are considering halting work as declining sales threaten SACIM’s production efforts.
“SACIM is on the brink of closure, and we all know the economic repercussions this would have. We’ve seen similar crises with MIBA and BRASIMBA. If SACIM shuts down, the suffering will only deepen,” Lufuluabo warned.
In response, civil society leaders are calling for urgent action, urging authorities to lift the restrictive sales conditions and allow SACIM access to a competitive market. They argue that easing these constraints could help stabilize the company’s finances and secure its future operations.
