KIVUVU, Burundi (July 17, 2025) —
All mining operators in Kabarore have been formally instructed to sell their extracted minerals exclusively to Comptoirs Miniers des Exploitations Minières du Burundi (COMEBU), government officials said Thursday.
“COMEBU holds exclusive rights to exploit and market minerals in areas where landowners have been compensated,” declared Alain Ndikumana, Head of the Strategic Studies and
Development Office at the Presidency. Speaking after a July 15 meeting in Kivuvu, attended by Minister of Hydraulics, Energy and Mines Ibrahim Uwizeye, the Director General of the Burundi Mining Office, and the Governor of Butanyerera Province, Ndikumana emphasized that zones not yet covered by compensation are nonetheless required to sell to COMEBU. “No other company—neither BME nor CDP—has authorization to operate in Kabarore.”
The provisional directive will remain in force until COMEBU obtains a full license under the new mining code. Ndikumana said once authorized, COMEBU will act as an intermediary between miners and the government and oversee compensation efforts in uncovered areas. “We must maintain transparency,” he said, adding that all minerals must be sold “at prices set by the state.” He also affirmed the province’s governor is on hand to address operator concerns.
2021 License Suspension and Updated Mining Code
In July 2021, Burundi’s government suspended operations of multiple international mining companies—including the operator of Gakara, Africa’s only rare-earth mine—after government officials declared that the country was not receiving a fair share of revenues. Mines Minister Ibrahim Uwizeye called the existing contracts “unbalanced” and ordered companies to halt mineral exports and mining operations.
President Evariste Ndayishimiye reinforced the decision on Independence Day (July 1), stating that foreign firms had been “there only to plunder our mineral wealth” and directing all foreign companies to suspend activities as of July 14, 2021.
The suspensions affected British, Chinese, and Russian firms, most notably UK‑listed Rainbow Rare Earths, operator of the Gakara project.
On March 3, 2022, Burundi revoked the nickel mining license of BMM International in Musongati via presidential decree, part of broader efforts to renegotiate and reform mining contracts.
To regulate the sector moving forward, Burundi enacted a new Mining Code on August 4, 2023 (Law No. 1/19). The revised legislation requires companies to be registered in Burundi, grants the State a stake in all mining projects, and introduces a formal production‑sharing mechanism. It also includes stricter compliance enforcement and penalties, aiming to ensure that mining revenues benefit the national economy.
Since January 2022, Minister Uwizeye also declared that COMEBU was the only active mining company in the country while the policy and code were under review.
Burundi is endowed with deposits of coltan, cassiterite, tin, tungsten, gold, nickel, cobalt, uranium and rare earth elements. These resources are strategically important globally and especially valuable as demand grows for clean‑energy and high‑tech materials.
The 2021 suspension and enactment of the new mining code represent a deliberate shift toward exerting greater state control, redirecting revenue, and increasing transparency within the sector. The current directive in Kabarore reflects that broader regulatory overhaul: ensuring that COMEBU remains the sole authorized buyer, under interim rules, to maintain control until the new code is fully operational.
Observers caution that the path forward depends on transparent governance, fair compensation, and the consistent enforcement of environmental and social safeguards. As Burundi awaits COMEBU’s licensing under the 2023 code, the stakes for both local communities and foreign investors remain high.
